Meet the Hyuga
by Solvdrage
Summary: The Konoha Crush left the Hyūga bloodied and Hiashi mortally wounded. The Clan Elders are moving to erase his legacy by removing Hinata and Hanabi from positions of power. In order to save his daughters and his clan, Hiashi launches a desperate gamble. Luckily for Hiashi, Uzumaki Naruto has a way of turning desperate gambles into victories. NaruHinaHyuga harem and NejiHarem.
1. Chapter 1

Uzumaki Naruto sat quietly on a bench as he watched the engineers, artists, and ANBU guards begin their preparations. Tsunade's position had been officially and unanimously approved by the Daimyo and the Kōshaku of the Land of Fire's Hans. The civilian approval was little more than a rubber stamp for the rarely assembled Jonin Council's 'election'. Naruto smiled as he heard someone shout about 'proportion' in the distance. He was actually watching quite intently as he wanted to see the process that would go into having _his_ face put on the Hokage Monument.

It was also a nice distraction from all the confusion Naruto was experiencing. The biggest change in the young man's life was the incredible outpouring of respect he had recently received from the citizens of Konoha. Naruto had finally stopped counting the number of strangers that had stopped him in the streets to congratulate him on beating Neji, convincing Tsunade to return, or helping 'defeat' Orochimaru and the traitor Kabuto. Naruto had always longed for the acknowledgment of the village, and now that he was receiving it; he honestly wasn't sure how he should react. So, he took some of Ero-sennin's advice. "You can get more of what you want with a kind word, a smile, and a powerful jutsu than you can with just a kind word and a smile."

'_Well,__ the Rasengan definitely counts as a powerful jutsu!'_ Naruto thought with a sense of pride he had never truly experienced before.

Next, he hadn't expected the contents of the Daimyo and Kōshaku's 'recommendation' to include a 'request' for Naruto to be promoted. Evidently, one of the kage bunshin Naruto had created had saved the life of one of the Kōshakus' young sons. It was another wonderful feeling to be recognized outside the village. Naruto was still kind of shocked that Wave had named Tazuna's bridge after him. The past few weeks had been a blur and Naruto absentmindedly ran his hand along a pouch on his Chūnin vest.

Naruto was also confused about the direction of Team Seven. It was obvious there was a lot of tension that just wasn't there before Naruto and Sasuke had run into Itachi. Sasuke had really closed himself off after being released from the hospital. For a time, Naruto had considered going to Sasuke and offering to help with his quest for vengeance. The thought died as quickly as it had been born. There was no way Sasuke's ego would let him accept any help. Naruto had seen firsthand that Sasuke was considering him a true rival…and a threat. Once again, part of Naruto was thrilled to have his abilities acknowledged by Sasuke. Sasuke's acknowledgment of Naruto as a strong shinobi had been one of the blond-haired ninja's goals for as long as Naruto could remember. It was just a bummer that the rivalry had become so tense and angry. Naruto really wanted their rivalry to be like Kakashi-sensei's rivalry with Super Bushy Brows. The two Jonin competed in everything, but were clearly really close friends and trusted each other. Naruto would be content being the 'Might Guy with better fashion sense' of the pair. After all, Sasuke was infuriatingly hip, orange was superior to green, and both Naruto and Sasuke were really talented.

Finally, Naruto was very, very confused about girls. He still liked Sakura-chan a lot, but he wasn't sure if it was the same way as it had been. There was still that bit of a flutter in his belly whenever she smiled at him. Naruto, however, was beginning to accept that she would never really like him in the same way. That truth had finally been driven home when Sakura had thrown herself at Sasuke after Tsunade had brought him out of that coma. Sakura truly loved Sasuke. As Naruto's romantic interest in Sakura began to wane, another pair of girls had caught his attention. Naruto thought Gaara's sister was really pretty and a strong kunoichi, but that was the extent of Naruto's interest. The attention Naruto paid to Temari was likely the perverted ideals of Ero-sennin worming their way into Naruto. Hyūga Hinata had definitely caught Naruto's attention, though. Her determination in the fight against Neji had really caught Naruto's attention. Naruto really felt a connection with Hinata's desire to be acknowledged and to grow as a person and ninja. She had really saved him from his doubt before the fight against Neji.

"I wonder what Iruka-sensei will say?" Naruto thought out loud and decided to go check in with his favorite teacher. Iruka-sensei was also the most mature and, most importantly, the least perverted of his teachers.

Naruto made his way through the bustle of workers scurrying from one reconstruction project to another. The Academy was roughly in the same building as the Hokage Tower. The importance of the building meant that it was heavily guarded at all times. Naruto often bragged about his infiltration skills to Sasuke and Sakura regarding his 'recovery' of the Scroll of Seals, but sneaking into the Academy and Tower were no longer necessary. A guard stopped Naruto and asked for his ninja identification number. Naruto's prompt answer allayed the man's fears. Unfortunately, Naruto made it only three steps into the building when the guard called for him to stop.

"Uzumaki-san! I would like to personally thank you for all you have done for the village! We all owe you a great deal," the Chūnin said with a bow.

Naruto really did enjoy all the praise and positive attention. There was a part of him that really wanted to stay and hear all the great things this guy would say about Naruto's accomplishments. Unfortunately, the young Jinchūriki _really_ wanted to get Iruka's help with his 'Sakura and Hinata' situation.

"Ah, thanks!" Naruto said with a smile and a sheepish hand to the back of his head. "I, uh, have some things to take care of."

"Of course, don't let me delay you," the Chūnin responded enthusiastically. Naruto waved to the man and found his way to the main Academy classroom. Iruka was finishing up a lesson on how to set up traps to slow down pursuing enemy shinobi. Naruto stood quietly in the back of the room as his favorite teacher asked if any of the students had questions. After waiting a moment, Naruto was confident that none of the students had questions and raised his hand for a question.

Iruka looked to his surrogate little brother with a smile. "What is it, Naruto?"

"Why didn't we learn practical stuff like this when _I_ was here? If you had taught this stuff, I would have actually paid attention."

"There was…political…opposition to such a militant curriculum before the invasion," Iruka explained. "Are there any further questions?"

The students shook their heads and the second Iruka said 'dismissed' the children swarmed Naruto. He chuckled at the attention and made a kage bunshin. "This fellow can answer your questions! I need to talk to Iruka-sensei about important ninja stuff."

As the kage bunshin lead the gaggle of gakis outside, Naruto jogged up to Iruka. "Hey, Iruka-sensei."

"Hello, Naruto," Iruka returned the greeting. "What is this 'important ninja stuff' you need my help with?"

Naruto blushed a bit. "Well, it's about...girls." The last word was little more than a whisper. Iruka's gentle smile became a full-on amused smirk.

"Sakiko-sensei is going to take over the next lesson. We can talk in the teacher's lounge." Iruka motioned to the door.

"Sakiko-sensei? I don't know her," Naruto mentioned casually as he followed Iruka.

Iruka looked away. "She replaced Suzume-sensei…Suzume was killed protecting civilians from Oto shinobi."

"I-I'll pay my respects at the Memorial Stone later," Naruto promised solemnly. The two Chūnin entered the lounge. Naruto sat down across from Iruka and the pair sat quietly for a moment. It was a silent tribute to not only Suzume, but all their fallen comrades. "This will never get any easier, will it?"

"No, Naruto, it won't," Iruka answered. "That pain…that pain is actually good. If your heart aches for your fallen comrades, it means you are still a human being as well as a shinobi."

Naruto nodded and remained silent. "Thanks Iruka-sensei. Uh, can we talk about Hinata-chan and Sakura-chan now?"

Iruka chuckled. "Oh…this really is important ninja stuff…what advice do you need, Naruto?"

Naruto blushed. "Well, I…I don't know what to do. I still kinda like Sakura-chan, but I know I've got no chance. Then there's Hinata-chan…I mean…after the Chūnin Exams I've been thinking about her a bunch…"

"Go on," Iruka encouraged with an understanding smile. He braced himself for Naruto to ramble a bit. The young man may be a Chūnin now, but Naruto was still a teenage boy struggling with his feelings.

"There's a couple of things that stand out," Naruto admitted. "Hinata-chan was always the only girl who didn't treat me like I was polluting the air around Sasuke. Heh, she was the only girl who _didn't _chase Sasuke around, now that I think about it. She _didn't_ chase Sasuke around, did she?"

Iruka fought off a chuckle. Naruto's expression was so earnest that there was no chance of the teacher's smile fading away. "Don't worry Naruto. Your memory isn't idealized. Hinata had no interest in Sasuke whatsoever." _'She__ had eyes for no one but you…'_

"How was she not the number one kunoichi, then?" Naruto asked, bewildered. Hinata had been smart enough _not_ to go googly-eyed at Sasuke. It baffled his mind that Hinata was not the number one kunoichi. "Heck, she's also awesome in taijutsu. Didn't you see her fight…I mean…"

The teacher held up a hand to slow Naruto down. "Hinata was very highly ranked. I can't go into details, but there are…reasons. But what did Hinata do at the Chūnin Exams to catch your attention?"

"Well…" Naruto started to explain and, to Iruka's enormous amusement, blushed. "We sat next to each other in the first test. She offered to let me copy her answers. I thought at first that it was a trap, but Hinata-chan was always way too nice to do something like that. She told me she didn't want me to disappear there. There haven't been many people…many people other than you…who have been willing to go out on a limb like that for me." Naruto continued his explanation of the first test. About halfway through his recounting of the Preliminary matches, he paused.

"After seeing what Neji did…I was so mad. I had to focus on Hinata so I wouldn't…you know."

Iruka did a double take. "You almost channeled _it?"_

Naruto looked down in shame. "I-I couldn't help it, Iruka-sensei…I've only been that mad once…when I thought Haku had killed Sasuke…"

"It's alright Naruto. So, what about Sakura?"

Naruto looked up at Iruka's face. The teacher was wearing an understanding and comforting smile. It chased away the shadows of Naruto's shame. "Well, I still like her. I mean, I'm ecstatic she's my friend and everything, but I know she loves Sasuke. We're teammates and I know she's got my back…but I also know that's all she has for me. I don't want to give up, but…yeah, I'm finally getting the point that there's nothing to give up _on."_

"It sounds like you're coming to a decision on your own," Iruka pointed out. Naruto nodded and started to speak, but Iruka cut him off with a smile. "I know how hard it is to let go of a first crush."

"You do?" Naruto asked. "How'd you do it?"

"Time, mostly. It wasn't easy, but I realized that it wouldn't have worked and moved on," Iruka explained. He didn't mention that his depression following the Kyūbi attack also led to the end of the crush. Iruka put on his best reassuring grin. "I also didn't have someone like Hinata to speed up the process."

Naruto nodded. "She's liked me for a long time, hasn't she?"

Iruka was on the verge of answering when a knock on the door interrupted the conversation. "Come on in," Iruka said politely.

The last person Naruto expected to enter the room had been Hyūga Neji. He still had the harsh look that defined Naruto's interactions with the prodigy. Naruto was pleased to see that he wasn't as overtly angry anymore. In fact, he looked really tired.

"I apologize for interrupting," Neji said formally.

"You look like you're on a mission," Naruto countered and waved off Neji's concerns with a wave of the hand. He wasn't expecting any trouble. Naruto did, after all, outrank Neji now.

'_Kamis of the Earth and Sky, I love saying that!' _Naruto thought with a huge grin.

"In a manner of speaking, I am, Uzumaki-san," Neji admitted. "Hiashi-sama asked for me to extend an invitation for you to meet with him at your earliest convenience."

Naruto looked over at Iruka and chuckled. "Heh, I was actually thinking about asking to meet with him anyway."

"Neji-san," Iruka spoke up. As soon as he got Neji's attention, he continued. "How did you find Naruto so quickly?"

"I am Hyūga," Neji said plainly, "and my Byakugan is one of the strongest in the clan."

Iruka had the good sense to look embarrassed. Naruto smiled at Iruka being caught off guard and turned towards Neji.

"I guess I should go see Hiashi-sama now," Naruto admitted.

Iruka shook his head in amusement. "Did you just use the correct honorific?"

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the closest thing he had to a brother…or a father. Neji bowed politely to Iruka and led Naruto out of the Academy. The two young men walked in strained silence for several minutes.

"Do you know why Hinata-chan's old man wanted to see me?" Naruto asked.

"I do not, Uzumaki-san." Neji kept walking, but his tone was oddly respectful.

"Oh, okay." Naruto fell silent. "Hey, Neji…I heard you fought some Kumo-nin during the invasion."

Neji paused. "You are well informed. I fought them to protect Hinata-sama. I…I was nearly defeated, but Hiashi-sama saved my life. Naruto…I don't think you realize just how much you have done for the Hyūga."

"I'm glad I could help," Naruto admitted. "If you need someone to help you train so you can whoop Kumo's ass next time you run into them, let me know."

"Thank you, Uzumaki-san," Neji replied formally. Naruto smiled and pretended he hadn't noticed Neji's emotional slip earlier. Neji guided Naruto into the Hyūga Compound.

Neji paused in front of the door to what was obviously a bedroom. "Hiashi-sama is inside. I must warn you, Naruto, that he is not well. The Kumo cowards used a poison…The Elders tried to keep Hiashi's condition a secret from the village. Their pride would not allow us to approach Tsunade-sama until it was too late. All Hokage-sama can do is ease his passing."

"I understand," Naruto said respectfully as Neji ushered him into the room. The room was well lit and the smell of freshly brewing tea added a pleasant feel to the environment. Naruto had been expecting a gloomy environment with Hiashi barely able to get out of bed. Instead, the man was sitting at a desk reading over a series of scrolls. Naruto took a quick peek at the desk and couldn't believe the quality. There was _gold_ woven into the wood! Naruto wanted to figure out where Hiashi got that desk. The Hokage's desk was _boring_ compared to Hiashi's desk!

"Ah, Uzumaki-san," Hiashi greeted Naruto. The voice betrayed Hiashi's true condition. The vitality the Hyūga Clan Head displayed was a front. Neji had been right; Hiashi _was_ in rough shape. The young man felt a wave of awkwardness hang over the entire room. Naruto felt the urge to leave a kage bunshin to talk with Hiashi while he went to find Hinata.

_'That might be rude, though,'_ Naruto thought. Naruto decided to simply bow a bit to Hiashi.

"I am grateful you have decided to meet with me so promptly," Hiashi continued after Naruto met his eyes.

"Neji mentioned that this was urgent," Naruto half told the truth. Neji hadn't mentioned urgency, but had mentioned Hiashi's condition.

"Yes, I am afraid all my tasks are urgent now." Hiashi looked away for a moment before turning his attention back to Naruto. "Before we begin, I would like to thank you on behalf of the entire Hyūga Clan. You have opened our 'All-Seeing Eyes', and we have begun to heal the rifts that were one of the gravest threats to the continuation of our clan."

Naruto rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I…I'm just glad I could help out."

"Unfortunately, that was only one of the calamities facing my clan," Hiashi began to explain. He paused as his breathing became labored. After a sip of tea, the Clan Head continued. "The Clan Elders are another problem. They do not approve of my daughters."

"They don't like Hinata-chan or her sister?" Naruto asked loudly. Hiashi interlocked his fingers as he pondered Naruto's reaction.

A ghost of a smile appeared on the dying man's lips. "Unfortunately not. They believe Hinata is far too gentle and would not 'keep the cadets in line'. Hanabi, my younger daughter by a year and a half, is a prodigy whom only Neji has surpassed. However, she is not…politically-minded, and has grown close to Hinata once again. The Elders are determined to gain complete control of the Clan."

"What would happen to Hinata-chan and Hanabi…once you're gone?" The jinchūriki knew instinctively that he wouldn't like Hiashi's answer. He watched the tightly controlled emotions dance across Hiashi's face and decided that he liked Hiashi.

The Hyūga Head didn't like his answer either.

"Hinata would likely be sealed and married to the nephew of Elder Yoshinori or the son of Elder Yūto. Hanabi would be declared 'Clan Head' until she was married to the man Hinata was not married to. After that, she would lose all authority in the Clan and be relegated to simply producing heirs for her husband." Naruto paled at Hiashi's explanation. Naruto promised to get rid of the Hyūga Seal when he became Hokage. The thought of Hinata being sealed was terrible. Naruto didn't know Hanabi, but her potential fate was just as cruel.

"Hiashi-sama," Naruto barely forced out the words as his mouth was unusually dry. "What can I do to help them?"

"It is a simple, yet difficult measure," Hiashi began. "I would ask that you marry Hinata."

Hiashi's words were a complete shock. Naruto hadn't been hit that hard by anything since the Forest of Death and the battles against Gaara and Kabuto. As Naruto considered Hiashi's words, time seemed to slow.

Eventually, Naruto regained his senses and fixed his gaze on Hiashi.

"I do not expect you to give an answer yet, Uzumaki-san. I am well aware of the weight of my request." The Hyūga Head leaned forward as he spoke.

Naruto nodded and watched as Hiashi took a sip of his tea. "I, uh, have a question."

"That is to be expected. I will answer any that you have," Hiashi assured Naruto.

"I guess this means you won't be mad if I ask Hinata-chan for a date?"

Hiashi did not smile or give off any outward emotional cues, but Naruto certainly felt the mood of the room change. "That is a very prudent course of action. As her father, I would ask that you inform me of your plans for the evening."

"I haven't thought that far ahead quite yet," Naruto admitted. "I, well, you're the Clan Head and Hinata-chan is really important. I figured it would be best to get your permission before I made dinner reservations. That'd be a bit embarrassing-ttebayo."

"You have surprised me yet again, Uzumaki Naruto." Hiashi nodded his head politely. That, Naruto thought, was a pretty impressive score for his chances with Hinata. "You chose the correct course of action in this regard."

"Awesome! I mean, I'll need to know how to interact with the Clans when I'm Hokage. I can't think of a better way to learn than interacting with Konoha's most famous and powerful clan." There was no shame in playing to Hiashi's ego, Naruto decided.

"Flattery and appealing to a Clan's pride are valuable tools, indeed," Hiashi responded with the faintest hint of mirth. "I wish to be informed of your plans for courting my daughter when they are finalized."

"Of course, Hiashi-sama," Naruto agreed. "I'll definitely keep you in the loop!"

"That is all I require," Hiashi confirmed. "I can tell you have additional questions."

'_Wow, either I'm an open book or the Hyūga are just that good at reading people,'_ Naruto thought.

"Yeah, I've got a few," Naruto admitted. "If you don't mind answering."

Hiashi was impressed by how quickly Naruto was adapting to his 'battlefield'. The Hyūga Clan Head was seeing the potential in the boy. Konoha had nearly driven one of its greatest assets into darkness and madness. '_Maybe I can provide some comfort for this child as well as my own children…'_

"Why didn't your clan let Baa-chan help you sooner?" Naruto asked.

"A combination of pride in our own abilities and Orochimaru's delaying tactics," Hiashi revealed. "My clan is rightfully proud of our abilities. I was incapacitated for some time following the poison and those in the Hyūga whose pride has become blinding hubris feared showing any weakness."

Naruto couldn't follow everything Hiashi had said, but he knew enough about context to get a basic idea. Hiashi had been out cold for a time and a group of Hyūga with big egos didn't want to admit there was a problem.

'_Great…egos…'_ Naruto grumbled. "How did Orochimaru continue to mess things up?"

"The battle delayed your retrieval mission for some time while Jiraiya-sama, Shizune-san, and yourself recovered from your wounds," Hiashi answered Naruto's follow up question. He held up a hand to forestall Naruto's apology and doubt. "I, and the Hyūga Clan, hold no ill will for your battle. You triumphed against a Sannin and a traitor. The victory you helped achieve brought great honor to Konoha. Most importantly, you have given us a powerful and respected Hokage."

Naruto smiled a bit at the acknowledgement. "Thank you, Hiashi-sama."

"You are welcome, Uzumaki-san." Naruto smiled at the response. He had figured out that Hiashi placed a great deal of emphasis on clan prestige. It seemed like Hiashi was acknowledging the Uzumaki as worthy. That gave Naruto an idea!

"I've got two more questions, if you don't mind, Hiashi-sama," Naruto said as politely as he could manage.

"Ask," Hiashi responded.

"First…do you know anything about the Uzumaki? The only thing I really know is that the Shodai married an Uzumaki. There isn't much info on my family. I'd like to learn more-ttebayo."

"The Hyūga have records of our interaction with the Uzumaki Clan. We can provide these to you," Hiashi answered.

"Awesome!" Naruto shouted. "Thank you so much! I-I can't believe they are an actual clan! How-How long have the Uzumaki been around?"

"They are amongst the oldest of the shinobi clans. They are as ancient as the Senju, Uchiha, and Hyūga Clans." Hiashi watched as the young Chūnin's face lit up. The Hyūga Clan head realized he had given Naruto an anchor to a past he could be proud of.

"That is so cool," Naruto said with a trembling voice. "I-I've just got one more."

"You don't have to keep asking for permission," Hiashi chided.

"Oh, right," Naruto laughed. "Is Hinata-chan at home? I'd like to talk to her now."

"My daughter should be in the Head Family Dojo practicing the Hakkeshō Kaiten with her Grandfather," Hiashi confirmed. "Oh, and Uzumaki-san…I remind you to treat my Eldest Daughter with care and respect. It would be a shame if I were forced to introduce you to the Hakke Hyaku Nijūhachi Shō."

_'One…one hundred and twenty-eight strikes?!' _Naruto thought in a panic. Sixty-four had really really hurt! "Y-Yes sir! Thank you, sir!"

Hiashi watched Naruto bow and bolt from the office. He allowed himself a small smile and thought, '_That was more fun than I thought it would be.'_

* * *

Hinata gasped as she attempted the 'Revolving Heaven' for the seventh time today. Her body, chakra pathways, and head all screamed in exhaustion. Though her body and mind protested, her spirit was ecstatic! Her Father, overly-critical Grandfather, and the rest of the Hyūga were acknowledging her! More importantly, she was changing herself! Hinata had never come as close to mastering her clan's Absolute Defense!

Her grandfather appraised her as if he was a circling eagle and Hinata was a helpless rabbit. That comparison would have been apt before the Chūnin Exams.

Before Naruto.

'_I am no longer afraid!'_ Hinata declared and made, maintained, and _demanded_ eye-contact with her Grandfather.

"You have made surprising progress," the Hyūga Elder said neutrally. "We will end the training for today."

"No, Grandfather," Hinata declared. "I will succeed on this next attempt!"

Her Grandfather narrowed his eyes in displeasure at Hinata's defiance and in a challenge of her newfound confidence. He relented and was no doubt expecting a similar failure as the previous attempts. Hinata closed her eyes, a calming exercise that was somewhat negated by her still-active Byakugan, and centered herself. She analyzed her previous attempts. As she looked at the mechanics of the Hakkeshō Kaiten, Hinata was struck by how much Juken resembled dance.

In that moment, she had an epiphany. She was not the lead in the dance. The Kaiten was in the lead. Any attempt to force the Kaiten to bend to her will was doomed. It was an instinctive defense. '_Pretend I am dancing,'_ Hinata thought. An image of Naruto being her dance partner raced to the fore without hesitation. Hinata's exhausted state mercifully hid her blush. '_One…two…three,'_ Hinata heard Naruto's voice guide her. She expelled the chakra from her tenketsu and followed along with an invisible tune.

She watched her Grandfather take a step back, colored both by shock and the sphere of chakra engulfing her figure, and look at Hinata in stunned silence.

"I-I told you, I would succeed," Hinata breathed out as she deactivated her Byakugan. She could barely stand, and had not been this exhausted since the Chūnin Exams. Hinata had never felt more powerful than she did at this moment. Every droplet of sweat and every labored breath was a monument to her triumph.

"We will resume tomorrow. I wish to see if you can replicate this…success," the Hyūga Elder scoffed and exited the Dojo.

Hinata stumbled towards one of the racks and grabbed a towel to dry off some of the sweat. She was really looking forward to a bath…

"Of course I've got permission to be here!" Naruto's voice echoed through the empty dojo. Hinata immediately tensed. Naruto…here…now?

"Hinata-sama," Hinata heard Natsu announce for the entrance. "You have a…suitor."

'_Natsu-san said suitor…'_ Hinata thought at a million miles-per-hour. There was no doubt in Hinata's mind that Naruto was truly outside the Dojo. She heard his distinctive, and adorable, 'dattebayo' in the middle of his rather animated discussion with her grandfather. '_Naruto…suitor…'_

"I even went and got Hiashi-sama's permission! Do you really think that if I was sneaking in, I'd be following Natsu here and talking this loud?"

"Very well, boy," the Elder growled. "I will confirm the validity of your claims."

Naruto grunted as he entered the dojo. "Jerk was trying to kill the mood…" Hinata's back locked into place as she saw the sheer happiness on Naruto's face when he saw her.

"Hiashi-sama instructed me to allow you both a measure of privacy. Is there anything you require before I leave?" Natsu asked.

"N-No thank you, Natsu-san," Hinata answered, but never turned her gaze from Naruto. The maid took her leave and Naruto and Hinata were alone. Alone…with permission.

Today was shaping up to be a _great_ one for Hinata.

Naruto, for his part, was finally getting a closer look at Hinata. He had realized she was 'kinda cute' during the first part of the Chūnin Exams. Her gesture after his match with Kiba had caused Naruto to upgrade her to 'really cute' and her determination against Neji had seen his opinion go up to pretty. He also reminded himself that she had looked good in that blue blouse. So, Hinata had definitely landed herself deep in Naruto's 'pretty' category.

Well, that was before Naruto had noticed that his opinion wasn't the only positive development Hinata was receiving. '_She's...hot...I'd swear her body was as good as Ino's!__ What the heck is she doing wearing that jacket? Okay, declaring ramen the official food of Konoha can wait. My new first Hokage decree is banning baggy jackets!'_

"H-Hello, Hinata-chan," Naruto said with uncharacteristic hesitation. "You, uh, look like you've had a good day training."

'_Good start, Naruto,'_ the boy commended himself. '_Focus on the fact that you and Hinata want to get stronger and not the fact that…oh my god…that outfit is really proving Hinata's in great shape. Danger Naruto! You're sounding like Ero-sennin!'_

"H-Hello, Naruto-kun," Hinata returned the greeting. "I had a wonderful day! I mastered the Eight Trigrams, Revolving Heaven today!"

'_Good start, Hinata,'_ the girl commended herself. '_Focus on answering Naruto-kun's question and not the fact that Naruto's Chūnin uniform makes him look more amazing than usual!'_

"That's awesome! You'll be even more of a kickass ninja now!" Naruto commended his friend. "Uh, would you like to tell me about it…on…a...um…date?"

'_Naruto's been calling me Hinata-chan! He…he just asked me out on a date! A date! If I had more chakra I'd try to see if this was a genjutsu!'_

Naruto watched the happy shock dance across Hinata's face. She could scarcely believe this was actually happening. Today had officially become one of the best days of her young life. She was trying desperately not to faint or cry tears of joy. Hinata had no idea how Naruto would react to that!

"N-Nothing would make me happier," Hinata answered from the bottom of her heart.

Naruto smiled in triumph and relief. "Thank you so much, Hinata-chan!"

The feeling Naruto was experiencing was the best since the night Iruka-sensei had declared Naruto his precious student. He had told Hinata that he liked _people like _her at the end of their conversation at the Training Grounds. Now, Naruto knew he could drop the people like and simply say that _he liked her._

'_If Hinata can make me feel like this every day…maybe Hiashi's idea about marrying Hinata will be mostly _my _idea…'_

* * *

**Author's Note:** Here we go! Another one of my Plot Asylum Escapees! I wanted to get this released alongside Towards the Dawn on Hinata's birthday! That moment at the end was too good to pass up!

A few notes and reminders about this fic...

1\. This is my first published harem fic! The harem is already set and is: Hinata (obviously), Hanabi (who I've aged up to only be a year and a half younger than Hinata), and an OC named Kareia (Gaiseric suggested the name).

2\. Yes, this will have a Neji harem. I'm going to keep most of that secret for a while, but Tenten is the 'alpha' of the harem.

3\. Again, the harems are set in stone and won't be expanded ESPECIALLY Naruto's. He's getting with Hyuga women and Hyuga women only!

Another note: The other Plot Asylum Escapees are coming along nicely. The next fic to be posted will be the first chapter of "Naruto the Fifth Hokage". I still don't have a title yet, but I will when I post it sometime within the next two days! "Naruto has a Twin Sister" and "Overlord NaruHina" will be posted sometime soon. Those are a bit further out from being ready to publish.

Please leave reviews! Nothing motivates me more than reviews!


	2. Chapter 2

Hyūga Shuichi was a stern man. Some would say that he was overly harsh, but none could deny that he put the good of the clan above all else. Shuichi had once led the Hyūga as their unquestioned leader before he was removed from active shinobi duty as a result of injuries suffered in the Second Shinobi World War. His voice was still respected, but he no longer considered himself a worthy warrior.

A Hyūga who could not defend the Clan through peerless combat was not worthy of a position of leadership. Shuichi had stepped aside, for the good of the Hyūga, to his eldest son Hiashi at the earliest possible time.

There were times Shuichi wondered if he had made a mistake.

Hiashi was too soft. He had been willing to sacrifice himself for his younger twin. Did Hiashi not understand the full implications of such a foolish measure? Had madness overtaken his son and blinded him to the fact he was handing the secrets of the Byakugan to Kumo? Was Hiashi ignorant that his 'sacrifice' would have thrown the succession of the Hyūga into turmoil? Shuichi was bound by the bylaws of the Hyūga from retaking his position. The Clan would have torn itself apart!

Shuichi was ashamed to admit that Hiashi had no better judgment when it came to his children. He _coddled_ them! There were no excuses for the shortcomings of Hiashi's daughters. Hinata was finally showing the growth and skill expected of the Hyūga heir…when she was eight. Hanabi was far more martially talented, but lacked her elder sister's organizational and economic skills. It was as if Shuichi's granddaughters were separate halves of the whole. If Hiashi's wife had not had the gall to die a year after Hanabi's birth, Hiashi may have a proper son and heir by now.

"Hiashi, I would speak with you." Shuichi entered Hiashi's office without waiting for his son's response.

The current head of the Hyūga responded with a challenging glare. Shuichi may be Hiashi's father, but they were political foes. "What do you require, _elder?"_

Shuichi bristled at his son's defiance. It was obvious where Hinata's defiance had originated. "I am still your father. You would do well to remember that."

"I am still your Clan Head. You would also do well to remember that," Hiashi retorted harshly. "This is not a family matter, but a Hyūga matter. Speak your piece."

"I do not approve of Uzumaki Naruto," The Hyūga Elder said without ceremony. "The boy is not worthy of the Hyūga."

"Not worthy? What do you know of Uzumaki Naruto?" Hiashi barked at his father.

The temperature of the room dropped several degrees. When the elder Hyūga spoke, his voice was as icy as the temperature. "He is an orphan with no heritage. You were at his match against Neji. Uzumaki Naruto almost lost control of the Kyūbi. The boy lacks control of the Kyūbi, of his impulses, and of the events that surround him. And you permit him to court our heiress, _your daughter?"_

"So, Hinata is recognized as my heir only when it can be used as a weapon against me, father?" The dying man spat. "I regret many things as my end approaches. I do not regret dying young if it prevents me from becoming so foolishly ignorant in my twilight years. Shuichi, I am _disappointed_ that you are willfully ignorant about the accomplishments of the boy."

Hinata's father smirked as he threw the word that tormented Hiashi and Hizashi in their youth back at their father. His distinct lack of any honorific was a deliberate and unmistakable insult. It pleased the son to see his father so obviously furious. Shuichi's emphatic pride of tradition forbade him from speaking out of turn. Hiashi wasn't finished yet and the Elder knew it.

"After being tricked by the traitor Mizuki, Naruto managed to evade almost the entire village for over twenty-four hours. Several of our clan members were involved in the search. That was the first evidence of his potential. During that twenty-four hour period; he outwitted the late Sandaime Hokage, mastered an A-rank kinjutsu, and used it to defeat a Chūnin. His other recent accomplishments include liberating a nation, surviving several encounters with Orochimaru, becoming Jiraiya-sama's apprentice, rescuing the children of several Koshaku, and defeating a fully-realized Bijū singlehandedly."

Hiashi paused one final time. "And if you believe he lost control of the Kyūbi's chakra during his match with my nephew, you are either outright lying or completely absent of your wits and vision."

"I will not forget this insult," Shuichi seethed.

Hiashi returned his father's glare. "Neither will I."

* * *

Naruto and Hinata had not spoken for a while after Hinata had agreed to go on a date with Naruto. The silence was very different from the awkward silence that had existed at the first part of Hinata's pep talk. The two young shinobi were smiling happily. Naruto could tell that Hinata was exhausted from her training and didn't want to put any strain on her. As he ogled, and he readily admitted he was checking her out, Naruto noticed an edge of nervousness or embarrassment in the way Hinata was carrying herself.

'_She's probably worried about being all sweaty and stuff,'_ Naruto realized. He decided that he needed to cheer up his new girlfriend/likely-future-wife quickly.

"You don't have anything to worry about, Hinata-chan," Naruto spoke with authority and care.

"What do you mean, Naruto-kun?" Hinata was curious as to what led to Naruto's outburst. Had he noticed something?

The blond-haired Chūnin continued to wear his happy grin. "You're covered in sweat and exhausted, and you're still one of the prettiest girls in the entire Land of Fire."

"T-Thank you, Naruto-kun." Hinata had been successfully fighting through her exhaustion and her urge to swoon. She gave in to the urge the moment her now-boyfriend's name left her lips.

"So…I wanted to talk with you about the date before I set anything up. I was definitely thinking of a place that needs reservations. If there's a place you want to go or something you'd like to eat, let me know!"

Hinata smiled at Naruto's considerate gesture. "Naruto-kun, I'd be happy eating cup ramen on a park bench if it meant I got to spend time with you."

Now, it was Naruto's turn to blush at a considerate statement. "Thanks. That's…that's one of the nicest things anyone has ever said. But seriously, name a place, I'll get us in."

"I would actually enjoy going to a restaurant. It'd be nice to be able to dress up without being so formal," Hinata admitted. Naruto _really_ liked that idea. One, he could easily afford the meal and be able to splurge on Hinata like she deserved. Second, 'dress up' sounded like code for something involving a skirt. That was certainly a happy image.

"That sounds great, Hinata-chan." Naruto flashed a thumb's up. "What are you doing for the rest of the day?"

Hinata pressed her fingers together. "I was going to get cleaned up a bit. There are some clan matters that I must attend to. My father's…condition…means that Hanabi-chan and I are taking on more responsibilities. My sister and her Gennin Team are escorting raw materials and workers from the Land of Waves to Konoha. While Hanabi-chan is on a mission, all the responsibilities are mine."

"Heh, I wonder if I know any of the workers? I kinda hope Tazuna, Genji, and Yutaka are in that group. It'd be nice to see those guys again," Naruto mentioned off-handedly.

"Were those some of the workers you met on your mission to the Land of Waves?" Hinata asked.

The young Chūnin nodded in confirmation. "They are. Old Man Tazuna was the client. Genji and Yutaka were two of his crew chiefs. Yutaka told some great jokes."

"I hope they are some of the workers that arrive," Hinata mentioned in support. "I-I should get ready for my next assignment."

"Mind if I walk with you for a bit?" Naruto asked hopefully.

The exhausted Hyūga heiress felt her mood brighten considerably. There was almost naked hope in Naruto's voice. _'If he only knew how much I long for him…'_ Hinata confessed to herself. "I would love that, Naruto-kun."

Hinata almost cried when Naruto extended his hand invitingly. Today was truly one of the greatest days of her life. She had mastered the Revolving Heaven and had taken her first steps in a relationship with Naruto! She reached out and took Naruto's hand without hesitation.

In that moment, she swore to never hesitate again.

* * *

Hyūga Neji enjoyed the serenity of meditation. It had once provided isolation and allowed Neji to explore his sense of self. When he meditated, Neji was not a Hyūga prodigy, a _slave, _or drowning in his own spiritual turmoil. He simply _was. _

Now, Neji was using meditation to reconcile the fundamental changes in his world-view. There was still bitterness towards his uncle as the head of the Clan. However, Hiashi's sincere efforts, stories of Neji's father, and desperate condition were overpowering the genius cadet's bitterness. The thought of not reconciling with Hiashi-sama before the end came was abhorrent.

'_It amazes me that someone considered as unworthy and short-sighted as Uzumaki Naruto has shown us all the meaning of value and insight,'_ Neji pondered. _'He rejected the role I believed Fate had assigned him. Not only has Naruto rejected that role, he has proven the world wrong by achieving greatness.'_

There was another detail of meditation that Neji had begun to explore. If he allowed his chakra to 'flow' naturally, he could extend his awareness a few feet all around him. It wasn't perfect, but it was something he wanted to investigate further. His current abilities only allowed him to determine if an object near him had chakra.

Currently, his 'sense' was telling him that there was a source of chakra less than three feet away. Neji had not heard any 'youthful' greetings, polite yet unfamiliar apologies, or gentle yet nervous hellos. It was possible to tell a great deal about a person from how they greeted another.

The Hyūga cadet decided to do something unpredictable, something Naruto. He smiled. "Hello Tenten."

"Let me guess, Neji…My lack of 'YOUTH' gave me away," Tenten joked.

Neji opened his eyes and turned towards his teammate. And friend. "Your chakra did as well. It is a familiar and welcome sensation."

Tenten blushed while trying to comprehend what Neji had just said. _'Neji's words implied that he _felt _my chakra instead of detecting it with the Byakugan. I wasn't aware Neji was a sensor-nin. Combine those abilities with the Byakugan and Neji will become the ultimate tracker! He also said my chakra was familiar and welcome…that was the nicest thing he's ever said. The _jerk.'

"Thank you, Neji. How's Hiashi-sama?"

"He is fighting. Hiashi-sama refuses to leave this world with work undone," Neji reported.

"Well, he is Hyūga. My experience leads me to believe the Clan has a bit of stubborn nobility to it," Tenten mentioned.

Neji came _this _close to laughing. "I would like to think of it that way for some of us. There are some who I would dispute their nobility."

"Main branch? I know you weren't on the best terms with them before," Tenten hazard a guess.

The prodigy sighed. "Other than Hiashi-sama, Hinata-sama, and a few others…I am still not 'on the best of terms with' most of the Main family. I would go so far to say that the people I respect the most are outside of the Hyūga Clan."

Tenten was a naturally curious young lady. She leaned in close to Neji and waited for him to continue. The genius was taken off guard, because the proximity was unexpected. He had been planning on using this conversation to get closer to his teammate, but not like this.

'_Not yet at least,'_ Neji admitted to himself.

"I greatly respect Uzumaki Naruto. He not only opened my eyes, but the eyes of the entire Hyūga Clan. Naruto's actions have helped give Hinata-sama the will to succeed no one knew she possessed. I respect Lee for what he has accomplished in spite of his handicap. His recovery is something I have prayed for daily."

"Really?" Tenten could barely believe what she was hearing. It was great that someone had finally gotten Neji to open up to the world.

"Yes." Neji was patient. He knew this change was hard for his skilled kunoichi teammate to grasp. There were many times that he had trouble believing the depths of his new perspective. "I have always respected Lee, but have been far too proud to confess it. Guy-sensei is also a powerful shinobi. He has been far more patient with me than I deserve…and he isn't the only one."

There was something in Neji's tone that barely allowed Tenten to squeak out a questioning 'Oh'.

"You have been incredibly patient with my…what was the term…brick-wall of pride. In spite of that, you have helped me perfect the Revolving Heaven and grow as a shinobi. Tenten, you have my thanks."

The weapons mistress was staring wide-eyed at Neji. _'This is almost like a _confession. _There's no way though. Neji's too…well…Neji.'_

Neji realized that he may have overloaded Tenten. "Is everything alright, Tenten?"

"I-I've just never seen this side of you," the kunoichi admitted.

"Neither have I," the prodigy admitted. "My life has been turned upside down. I…I'd like some help exploring my new freedom from my previous fatalism. Would you like to assist me at lunch tomorrow?"

Tenten's eyes went wide. _That_ might be as close as Neji would come to asking her for a date. It looked like her Chūnin Exam Finals outfit wasn't a waste of money and effort after all. "I'd love to." She paused and smirked. "Maybe I'll even teach you how Normal People talk."

For the first time in her life, Tenten heard Neji laugh.

* * *

The Hyūga Clan was one steeped in tradition and respect for tradition. One's birth order, role, and perception of said role defined a person's entire identity. This was especially true of the Cadet Branch. Perception was a fundamental cornerstone of an individual's worth.

Hyūga Kareia knew this better than most.

She was average in a Clan were average was tantamount to apostasy against one's blood. Kareia had become a full Gennin, but only after passing through the Academy's remedial program. Worse, in the eyes of the clan's proctors at least, she had even been defeated by Hinata-sama in several spars. She, unlike many in the Hyūga Clan, had never resented Hinata-sama. Hinata-sama had always been gracious in victory and always offered the cadet a kind word when their paths crossed. In fact, Kareia would almost consider Hinata-sama a friend.

Due to her heterodox actions in openly supporting Hinata-sama, the Clan had 'graciously acknowledged' her exceptional Academy grades and successfully petitioned for her removal from the main-line shinobi program so that she could 'devote herself' to becoming one of the Clan's archivists.

It pained her to be separated from Tekuno-sensei and her teammates. She hadn't felt average on that team. She hadn't felt belittled. She was simply accepted.

'_At least I am reporting to Hinata-sama,'_ Kareia thought as she shifted one of the folders she was carrying to another arm.

"Hinata-sama, I humbly request permission to enter," the Cadet Family kunoichi announced formally.

"Enter," Hinata answered Kareia's formal request in a formal tone. The cadet bowed as she entered Hinata's room. "How are you, Kareia-san?"

"I am fine, Hinata-sama," Kareia answered politely. "Our _esteemed_ Elders have _requested_ that I deliver the reports on the Clan's finances to you as soon as possible. They also _suggested_ that I assist you so that you could confirm the reports with all diligence."

Hinata frowned. She could hear the bitterness in the other girl's tone. Kareia was another victim of the clan's treatment of the cadet families. Her situation was nowhere near as tragic or galling as the crimes Neji-niisan had been inflicted with, but Kareia had suffered at the misguided hands of the Elders as well. Hinata was well aware that Kareia's career as an active kunoichi had been cut short after her opinions on the Elder's power plays had become public. Even though Archivist was an 'honorable' position within the Hyūga Clan, it was clearly the equivalent of permanent house arrest.

"They are incredibly petty, aren't they?" Hinata asked. Kareia's grey-tinted Byakugan went wide at Hinata's statement. For all the other girl's kindness, demure nature, and own tribulations, she was still a member of the Main Family. Kareia couldn't believe Hinata would say anything remotely negative about the Elders. "Kareia-chan, the Elders have hurt the entire Clan. Father and I wish to start healing the rifts."

"O-Of course, Hinata-sama," Kareia stammered. The change in honorific had not been missed by the Cadet member.

Kareia was seeing Hinata-sama in a new light. Unintentionally, the young woman found herself trying to find similarities between the two. Kareia noticed she was an inch or two taller than the heiress. Hinata-sama's face was round as opposed to Kareia's angular features. The shape of the heiress's face and the softer lavender shade to her Byakugan gave Hinata a gentle appearance. Kareia had no illusions that her current bitterness leaked through into her own features.

Kareia was glad she had not been forced to cut her hair short like Hinata-sama. It wasn't that the short hime cut wasn't cute on Hinata. The haircut had been a throwback to an ancient practice where short hair in the Hyūga represented disownment. Kareia had consciously let her brown hair grow very long. She currently had her hair styled in a braided ponytail.

She managed to keep the frown from her face as she realized the only similarities between herself and Hinata-sama was their Byakugan and the traditional Hyūga robes they were wearing.

"Kareia-chan," Hinata whispered quietly, almost conspiratorially in fact, to the other girl. "I need your help."

"I would be honored, Hinata-sama," Kareia replied automatically.

"Father has given a young man permission to court me," Hinata announced.

"Hiashi-sama gave someone permission to court you." Kareia restated the Heiress's announcement. "Who could have captured Hiashi-sama's respect and attention that strongly? He has rejected every other offer to court you so far."

"_It's Naruto-kun,"_ Hinata breathed out. "Father is actually letting me go on a date with Naruto-kun!"

Kareia thought she was familiar with the name. Hinata-sama was certainly excited about the name. She wracked her brain to remember who this 'Naruto-kun' was and what connection he had to the Hyūga Clan.

"This Naruto-kun…Is he the one who defeated Neji-san in the Chūnin Exams?"

"It is," Hinata confirmed. "Naruto-kun has inspired me for so long…"

"I'm glad this has made you so happy, Hinata-sama." Kareia chewed her lips. An excited rumor that had circulating slipped into the forefront of Kareia's recollection. "Hinata-sama, there has been talk amongst the cadet families about something Naruto-san said during his match against Neji-san. Is it true that he wishes to become Hokage to change the Hyūga Clan? There has been talk that he hates the Juinjutsu."

"Naruto-kun doesn't wish to be Hokage. Naruto-kun will be Hokage, and we will work together to change the Hyūga Clan," Hinata declared in a crisp and unwavering voice.

Kareia found it impossible not to be swept up by Hinata's conviction. "Wh-What do you need my help with?"

"I…I don't have any clue what to wear," Hinata confessed. Kareia smiled as the Hinata-sama she was used to return. Her moment of conviction had earned her a great deal of respect, but it was…nice to see that her friend was such a complete person.

"Let's finish the work quickly. I think I may have something for you…" Kareia said excitedly. The friendship and casual conversation was as close to liberated as she had ever felt. She was still a bird in a cage, but at least the bars seemed a little further apart.

* * *

Naruto had departed the Hyūga Compound with a triumphant grin adorning his face. His endless enthusiasm had been further bolstered by the utterly enraged look Hinata's asshole of a grandfather had attempted to pin on Naruto as the Jinchūriki sauntered out the door. The flippant wave Naruto had shot the older man hadn't helped the old fossil's mood much.

Still, Naruto would treasure the look on Hinata's grandfather's face for a very long time. It had been a very long time since Naruto had helped play someone so beautifully. _'Yes,'_ the young Uzumaki thought, _'I am really starting to like Hiashi.'_

He strolled through the streets of Konoha and took in the sights of the reconstruction. Naruto was really curious to find out if old man Tazuna was in the village. There was also the need to figure out where the heck he was going to take Hinata-chan on their date.

"I need advice…advice from someone who isn't perverted. I also need to find out who came from the Land of Waves," Naruto mused out loud. "Baa-chan it is!"

Naruto was partially thankful that most of the fan worship he received was in the form of appreciative looks and nods. The radical change in Konoha's opinion wasn't growing old by any stretch. Naruto simply had a great deal to accomplish in a short time. His fellow Chūnin waved him through the checkpoints after a cursory check.

Shizune was finishing up a conversation with a higher-ranked shinobi Naruto didn't recognize. The man bowed to Tsunade's assistant and departed. The medic-nin whirled in place and settled her gaze on Naruto. "Hello, Naruto-kun!"

"Hey, Shizune-nee. What's up?" Naruto asked with a lopsided smile.

"Oh, just dealing with the aftermath of Orochimaru's assault. The recovery is progressing as well as can be expected," Shizune explained.

"Kumo is the only village who tried to start shit?" Naruto asked. The Hokage's assistant could not miss the venom in the young Chūnin's question.

"How did you find out about that? That's a B-rank secret." Shizune crossed her arms and her gaze went from friendly to questioning.

Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Hiashi-sama and Neji told me about how they tried to kidnap Hinata-chan."

"Good, I didn't want to have to deal with an information leak right now," Shizune said in relief. "So, what brings you here, Naruto-kun?"

"I was wondering if baa-chan was around and able to talk. Ever since I became a Chūnin, I'm kind of a free agent…and I need some advice from the two of you about…" Naruto trailed off and blushed.

"About what, Na-ru-to-kun?" Shizune said teasingly.

Naruto blushed and clammed up when he noticed a group of Jonin chatting at the end of the hall. Shizune realized it was something a bit personal and led Naruto into the Hokage's office. The beautiful, well-respected, powerful, and legendary kunoichi was not sitting regally behind her desk. She was not even aware of the two shinobi that had entered her office.

Tsunade was currently _bitching out_ her semi-wayward teammate. "Jiraiya, why are you _completely incapable_ of entering my damn office through the door like a normal person! Oh wait, silly me, I'd forgotten, you are the most abnormal perverted son of a bitch I have ever met."

"I've missed you too, Tsunade-hime," Jiraiya responded flippantly. "How are you doing brat?"

"Damn it! I was hoping to avoid you until _after_ I got advice from Baa-chan and Shizune-nee!" Naruto cursed at his legitimate bad fortune.

Tsunade's attention quickly turned away from Jiraiya. _Naruto_ needed _her_ advice. His stance informed the Slug Sannin that it wasn't shinobi related. If it was, he would have asked the old pervert. This was going to be fun.

"So, what advice do you need from your Hokage?" Tsunade asked and leaned forward. Naruto chuckled nervously. Jiraiya complained that Naruto was 'getting the view', but was promptly ignored by everyone else in the room.

"I, uh," Naruto started before casting a glance at Jiraiya. With a look that clearly translated to 'fuck it', Naruto turned his attention back to the Godaime Hokage. "I have a date with Hinata-chan, and I need some help deciding where to take her. She said she wants a place she can dress up a bit without it being formal."

Tsunade looked deep in thought. Shizune, however, snapped her fingers and smiled happily. "Natsumeyashi is a great place! The food is from the Land of Wind, but the owner is a Konoha Shinobi. Suna-related goods and services aren't very popular now, so you'll have plenty of space alone. Rokuro is great with music."

"Shizune's telling the truth. You'll have plenty of space to dance," Jiraiya agreed. "I know you don't know _how_ to dance, but this is actually a good thing. Have your girlfriend teach you to dance. Combine giving her your undivided attention, the brownie points you earned with the blood-vow, and the near private dining …"

The Legendary Super Pervert fished something out of a pouch at his belt and tossed it to Naruto. "You'll need those. After you wake up after your date and shake off the morning glow, I want you to meet me at Training Ground Forty-one. I'm going to step up your training. That run in with Akatsuki made me realize you need to start figuring out your chakra nature and boost your understanding of genjutsu…"

Jiraiya suddenly felt an oppressive weight on his very soul. He looked up from his training plans and saw Shizune staring slack-jawed at the packet the old man had tossed Naruto. The young man, for his part, was staring at the packet as if he were caught in a particularly devious genjutsu.

"Jiraiya. What. Did. You. Give. Naruto?!" Tsunade ground out.

"I want him to be safe! He's a teenager, or did you forget?" Jiraiya countered.

"He's too young!" Tsunade barked. "You insufferable _pervert!_ How could you give him **condoms?!"**

Naruto was blushing furiously. _'I know that married couples do _that…_but I'm not married to Hinata-chan yet! Oh god, I hope I'm not thinking about _that_ the entire date! I don't want Hiashi-sama to regain enough strength to beat me like a drum! Or for his ghost to haunt me forever!'_

In the infinite wisdom of a teenage solider, Naruto decided this was the best possible time to retreat. Tsunade was rising from her chair with a murderous-not-quite-Killing-Intent aura surrounding her. The Chūnin turned to Shizune and cleared his throat. "Well, I think this a great time to run like hell. Thank you for the help and tell Baa-chan thanks as well."

"Of course," Shizune quailed a bit as Tsunade grabbed the back of Jiraiya's head and slammed his head into the desk a few times.

"I hope you have a wonderful date, Naruto," Tsunade said in a sickly-sweet voice. She proceeded to slam Jiraiya's face into the wall, as she did not want to destroy her desk.

"Uh, sure," Naruto said weakly. He quickly turned to Shizune and chuckled a bit. "Hey, there's a team of workers from the Land of Waves being escorted by Hyūga Hanabi's Genin Team. There wouldn't happen to be an old man named Tazuna with them, would there?"

"You know Tazuna-san?" Shizune asked.

Naruto nodded and was forced to raise his voice over Tsuande's raging rant about Jiraiya's habits. "He was the client on my first C-rank-turned-A-rank."

"Ah, so that's why he's under probationary escort. Team Sixteen is watching his construction project on the South Wall Guardhouses."

"Thanks!" Naruto said quickly and bailed on the Hokage's Tower. The Jinchūriki hoped that by the time he took over for Baa-chan that the blood would have come out of the wall.

* * *

Inari was getting _really_ tired of his grandfather and the other workers. It wasn't _his_ fault that every kunoichi he had ever met had been pretty! The girl on the team keeping tabs on Granddad was probably the prettiest girl Inari had ever seen. She was a bit older than Inari, but that only made her more attractive to the young man.

'_From what I've heard, she's practically a princess here in the village,'_ Inari thought. The Hyūga girl was wearing a black shinobi body suit over mesh armor and a waist-length yellow jacket. Her hair was so healthy that it shined, and it was very long, too.

"Inari! If you're done checking out the scenery, we need you to bring us those levels!" One of Tazuna's foremen shouted. Inari flushed in embarrassment and rushed the requested tools to the workers.

The young worker from the Land of Waves was glad that Tazuna had decided he had teased Inari enough. Instead of a gentle joke, it was simply an understanding smile. Inari returned it, but the smile quickly blossomed further when a familiar voice rang out.

"Hey, old man. How bad do your shoulders hurt?"

The workers, Tazuna, and Inari all cheered at the arrival of 'The Hero of Wave'. Inari couldn't believe that Naruto-nii was actually looking like a serious shinobi. Naruto flashed a thumbs-up at Inari. The young boy returned the acknowledgment of his idol a dozen-fold.

"You certainly have to make an entrance brat," Tazuna laughed as he walked over to the shinobi. He clasped Naruto on the shoulder. "I do wonder, what the hell you mean asking about my shoulders, though."

"Well, you said the day I become Hokage is the day you sprout wings and fly. I've been promoted to Chūnin. I'm one step closer, so I bet those wings are growing already."

"Uzumaki Naruto, you cheeky bastard! Congratulations! It is super good to see you, boy!" Tazuna said with warmth and joy.

"Good to see you too, old man Tazuna. How's Tsunami?" Naruto asked with a smile that matched the engineer's tone. The work had stopped completely. Team Sixteen had even been drawn into Naruto's arrival.

"Mom's doing good. She wonders if we could hire you for something just so your team could visit," Inari joked.

"I'll be sure to let Kakashi-sensei, Sakura-chan, and Sasuke know!" Naruto declared. He went around to each of the workers from Wave and talked to them as the old friends Naruto considered them to be.

Eventually, Naruto slipped away from the workers and made his way over to Hanabi. "You must be Hanabi."

"It's nice to meet you, Naruto-kun. Hinata-neesama talks about you all the time. I feel like we've already met," Hanabi said with a smile.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Hinata-chan's awesome, isn't she?"

Hanabi nodded, but raised a delicate eyebrow at Naruto's choice of honorific. "My sister is an inspiration."

"Oh yeah, I wouldn't have been able to beat Neji without her. I'm glad Hiashi-sama gave me permission to take her on a date."

"That's wonderful!" Hanabi _squealed_. "Oneesama is going to be so happy! May I ask where you'll be taking Oneesama? Who also happens to be my best friend."

"I've sent a Kage Bunshin to get reservations at Natsumeyashi. Since Suna related things aren't very popular right now, I'm sure we'll practically have the place to ourselves." Naruto's voice was easy, but there was a hint of approval in admiration for Hanabi's protective tone of voice.

"Oooooh!" Hanabi practically cooed. "That is really romantic! I won't have to Jūken you now!"

"I'd appreciate it. The way your dad and Hinata talk about you, you're very talented at Jūken. I'm sure it would hurt like hell." Naruto had stretched the truth about Hinata mentioning Hanabi's talents to him directly. He had an instinctive feeling Hinata would undoubtedly compliment her sister's skills.

Hanabi blushed a bit. It was nice to hear a compliment from someone she admired. Naruto's influence on the younger Hyūga prospective heiress was not as great as his influence on Hinata. Still, Naruto's positive impact on her oneesama and word of his skills a shinobi had earned a measure of respect from the Hyūga kunoichi. After she had seen the level of his skills and experienced his charisma herself, Hanabi was a bit ashamed to admit she had developed a bit of a crush…

On her sister's boyfriend.

"How are _you_ holding up?" Naruto asked out of the blue. "I know it can't be easy right now."

Hanabi blushed again, this time at the concern in Naruto's voice. _'No wonder Oneesama is so taken with Naruto-kun.'_ "I-I think I'm doing okay. Oneesama and Natsu-san are doing their best to help me. I know I couldn't handle it without them."

"Hiashi-sama is a good man," Naruto said gently. He didn't think Hiashi was _perfect_ by any stretch of the imagination. He had heard what Hinata's situation before the Chūnin Exams had been like. "I'll be there to support Hinata-chan, and you, until…until forever, I guess."

'_Does Naruto-kun have any idea what he is doing? Or is he just that sweet by _accident?' Hanabi thought. "Thank you," Hanabi squeaked out. Naruto grinned and said his goodbyes.

Hanabi watched as Naruto said hello and thanked the other members of her team. She shook off her funk and refocused on the mission. _'You're lucky, Oneesama.'_

Naruto eventually found his way back to Inari. The young worker was staring at Naruto in awe and the slightest hint of jealousy. "How the heck did you do that?"

"Do what?" Naruto asked cluelessly.

"You talked to her! Like it was nothing!" Inari didn't yell, but he came close. "I mean, she's really pretty!"

Naruto flicked his gaze to Hanabi and back to Inari. "Pretty runs in that family. And why wouldn't I talk to her? She's my girlfriend's sister."

Inari's jaw dropped. "You're dating her sister?"

Naruto grinned proudly. "Yup! Hinata-chan's…" Naruto checked out Hanabi again. He was happy to see she did not have her Byakugan active. "even cuter."

"C-Can you teach me how to talk to girls?" Inari asked hopefully.

"Just talk to them," Naruto said simply. Inari gave him an odd look. "Who are you?"

"Nobody," Inari answered and looked down.

"Never say that again." Naruto _glared_ at the young man. "You're Inari: the kid who rallied the Land of Waves to stand up to Gato."

"You did that," Inari countered weakly. _'Naruto-nii's glare was _scary!' Inari thought.

"I didn't go house to house. I was fighting Haku. You convinced everyone to come to the bridge to help us out. Talking with girls is kinda like that."

"But taking down Gato was important," Inari countered.

"And getting a girlfriend _isn't?"_ Naruto countered the counter.

Inari opened his mouth to counter Naruto's counter of his own counter. He realized that there wasn't one and that Naruto had brought up a good point. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. I'm going to go talk to the crew a bit. See ya, Inari," Naruto said with a wave. Inari returned it. Naruto smiled broadly and called out, "Yutaka! Got any more of those bad jokes?"

"None worse than your old orange jumpsuit!" Yutaka replied with a hearty laugh.

Inari laughed at the exchange. It was great to have heroes again.

* * *

Jiraiya was grateful that after Tsunade had 'relayed her concerns' about the last bit of Jiraiya's advice, the Hokage had Shizune heal his face. Tsunade's strength, even without the chakra enhancement, was still very much above average. He was used to the Senju Princess's outbursts. The worst bit of the whole ordeal had been the embarrassed look on Naruto's face. The Toad Sage definitely hadn't meant to embarrass his godson. Jiraiya had simply wanted to make sure that if _that_ went down, Naruto would be protected.

'_I'm sure the obnoxious brat would be as good a dad as Minato would have been, but he's too young for that. The fact that Akatsuki is out there and after him makes a kid too much of a risk. Those S-Rank _fucks _would target Naruto through his child,'_ Jiraiya thought.

Jiraiya shook off those thoughts as he caught sight of his target. Naruto was eyeing a clothing store. The Sannin smiled at the image. Naruto obviously had no idea what he was looking _at_, but he at least knew what he was looking _for. _

"Anything catching your eye, brat?" Jiraiya asked with a smile. Naruto turned to face his sensei. He saw that Jiraiya looked like he did that day at the Festival in Tazuna Quarters. Naruto decided that Jiraiya would be taking things more-or-less seriously and wouldn't be _too_ perverted during the conversation.

"I don't know," Naruto admitted. "I want something nice, ya know?"

A wave of nostalgia washed over Jiraiya at how much Naruto resembled his mom in that moment. "I know. Let's head in and get you something that isn't a flak jacket or those jumpsuits. I'm paying."

"Thanks, Ero-sennin." Jiraiya rolled his eyes at the nickname, but was actually relieved that Naruto wasn't angry.

"Don't mention it, brat." The venerable shinobi replied. He walked Naruto through the process of shopping. During the 'quest', he revealed that it was only natural for Naruto to currently be bored to tears. Jiraiya explained, in his usual tone but without his more 'colorful poetic terms', that if things got serious with Hinata, Naruto may be dragged on shopping trips in the future. Naruto blanched, but mumbled something about how 'Hiashi didn't mention that'. Eventually, Jiraiya helped Naruto select a few outfits. There were several sets of khaki slacks. "They go with everything!" Jiraiya had proudly declared. The rest of Naruto's new outfits were a few button down collared shirts of various colors, leather belts, a pair of dress shoes, and two blazers.

"This kinda reminds me of Gato," Naruto said glumly.

"The statement 'clothes make the man' is bullshit. Character, guts, and having a good head on your shoulders make the man. You've got all three. Naruto, you're more of a man at thirteen than Gato ever was in his fifty-eight years. You talking Zabuza into his suicide run did the world a favor by getting rid of that slimy old man." Jiraiya's declaration wasn't as harsh as it sounded.

Naruto heard the declaration and smiled. "Thanks, Ero-sennin."

The Toad Sage laughed uproariously . "I can't believe you've _thanked me twice! _You've almost made me forget you're the most ungrateful apprentice I've ever had!"

"You're the most perverted teacher I've ever had! Have you forgotten why Baa-chan used your face as a hammer?" Naruto responded with a glare and a challenge.

"I need to talk to you about that, Naruto. Let's grab a seat," Jiraiya said, motioning to a nearby bench. Naruto followed his teacher to the bench. After they were both seated, Jiraiya sighed. "I should have approached that better. I know that. There was no way in hell I did that to embarrass you"

The young Chūnin nodded. "I kinda figured, Ero-sennin."

"You're probably wondering what the hell I _was _trying to do," Jiraiya pointed out; receiving a nod from Naruto. "I wanted you to be prepared. This girl, Hinata, you're going on a date with…she's the one you made the blood vow for?" Jiraiya watched Naruto's reaction carefully.

"Yeah, and I'd do it again," Naruto informed his teacher with pride.

"Good to hear. The strength of your Will of Fire will take you far, brat. Now, don't jump all over me for the next question. It'll sound perverted, but this is a lesson on the Shinobi Vices. I fell into their trap, and I don't want you making my mistakes." Naruto nodded and Jiraiya continued. "What do you _feel_ and think when you look at Hinata?"

Naruto was quiet for a few moments. "Warm around my heart. She's probably the only person my age that's ever really supported me. _Definitely _the only girl. I also feel…angry a bit. I mean, she's probably the nicest pretty girl I've ever met, and her family, until really recently, has treated her like crap, Kumo has tried to kidnap her twice, and she's barely been acknowledged for all her hard work. It isn't fair, and Hinata-chan deserves so much more."

"Okay, so I might have jumped the starting bell a bit with the condoms. You're dating her for more than her looks. That's a good place to start the relationship. I did have a reason for giving them. As a Chūnin, you're a legal adult. If you wanted _to, _you _could._ You're a teenager, and hormones are going to happen. I wanted you to be prepared and safe if that happened."

Jiraiya's explanation made sense, even as it made Naruto blush as he considered it. Naruto recalled the way Hinata's clothing had clasped tightly to her alluring figure and shifted his position on the bench. He also realized that, in his own super-pervert way, Jiraiya was looking out for Naruto. "I…understand, I guess."

"Like I said, Naruto…I wasn't trying to embarrass you. I want you to be safe, but still be able to enjoy yourself if you choose to go all the way with Hinata. Your head and heart are in the right place."

Naruto nodded. He couldn't really think of anything to say. The conversation, while heartfelt, was still a bit awkward. Jiraiya huffed a laugh. "I have something to make up for this weird talk. I'm going to try to teach you something, right now."

"Right now?" Naruto asked.

"Right now," Jiraiya confirmed. "You might already know this, given how much of the landscape you wrecked trying to learn the Rasengan, but Kage Bunshin transfer the memories of their experiences to their creator. With your ability to create hundreds, you can do months of training in hours."

"That'd be helpful right now…I could just dispel and the Boss would learn all of this info, but…how would I get the clothes we bought home?"

Jiraiya didn't know whether to laugh, be in awe, or be angry that he had spent the past few minutes having a heart-to-heart with one of Naruto's Kage Bunshin. In the end, he just settled on being impressed by Naruto's skill with the jutsu. "I'll take the clothes back to the apartment. Just focus on transferring the memories back to the brat. I don't think I could have this conversation twice."

The clone joined in Jiraiya's laughter. He stopped eventually. "How do you know where I live?"

"Brat, I _own_ where you live! Why do you think you've never had to pay rent and the landlord keeps the place in order, despite occasionally grumbling about it?"

"I guess I, the Boss I mean, can let the condom thing slide," the clone teased. He handed over the clothes to his teacher. "Just concentrate?"

"Just concentrate…and let him know that I'm proud of him."

* * *

The real Naruto had left Hanabi, Inari, and Tazuna a few minutes ago. He had spent a bit more time than he thought talking with Inari, Tazuna, the crew, and Hanabi. It had been really good to see Tazuna, Yutaka, and Inari again. The biggest relief had been how well Naruto had gotten along with Hanabi. He was going to be dating her sister, so getting along with family was important.

As the Hyūga Compound came into view, Naruto felt a wave of very defined emotions fill the back of his brain. They were positive, a mix of gratitude, acceptance, and understanding. The young man's mind had just processed the emotions, when the memories rushed forth. First, Naruto was really impressed by the fact that his Kage Bunshin transferred memories.

'_That is so cool,'_

Second, Naruto was a bit embarrassed by part of the content in his clone's conversation with Ero-sennin. He was still glad that the Old Pervert was showing how much he cared for Naruto, even if it was as odd as the Sannin was himself.

He was thrilled his Kage Bunshin had set up the reservations for Natsumeyashi. The clothes Jiraiya had paid for would be something nice for Hinata during the date. Naruto definitely didn't want to show up wearing one of his old jumpsuits or his flak jacket. He was somewhat confident Hinata-chan wouldn't mind, but she deserved better.

"I can't believe Ero-sennin has been paying my rent for so long." Naruto shook his head. Further ruminations on how else Ero-sennin may have been watching out for him from a distance faded away as Naruto reached the Hyūga Compound. A Hyūga Chūnin approached Naruto and held out his hands for Naruto to come to a halt.

"Excuse me, young man. What are your reasons for visiting the Hyūga Compound so late in the afternoon?"

Naruto was going to have _fun_ seeing the Chūnin's reaction to this. "Hiashi-sama 'requested' that I inform him of the plans for my date with Hinata-chan as soon as they were made. I thought it was a good idea to let him know immediately."

The Chūnin was dumbfounded at the casual nature in which Naruto dropped Hiashi's name and the familiarity he expressed towards Hinata-sama. "I will escort you to Hiashi-sama."

"Thanks, I haven't memorized the layout of this place yet." Naruto motioned for the Chūnin to lead on.

Naruto considered the look on the Chūnin's face _priceless. _The speed at which he guided Naruto to Hiashi's location was even better. The head of the Hyūga Clan was sitting in a small tea room and appeared to be meditating.

"Hiashi-sama, excuse the intrusion on your personal time, but this _young man_ claims that you requested he inform you of his plans to _date_ Hinata-sama."

Hiashi opened his eyes and nodded…at Naruto. "It was not a request. Naruto-san was required to keep me abreast of his dinner plans as a condition of dating my daughter. I will speak with Naruto in private, Kō-san. You are dismissed."

"I-I was unaware you had granted anyone permission to court Hinata-sama," Kō stammered.

"Hinata's personal concerns and shinobi training have not been your responsibility for several years. You are dismissed," Hiashi repeated. Kō bowed and departed.

"Forgive Kō, Naruto. He has always been excessively protective of my daughter," Hiashi explained. Naruto gave a look that displayed his confusion and unease at the idea. "Enough about that, where will you be taking Hinata to dinner?"

"Natsumeyashi, Hiashi-sama. The current bias against any place connected with Suna or the Land of Wind means we'll pretty much have the place to ourselves. The owner is a loyal shinobi of Konoha and Shizune-nee and Ero-sennin say there is really good music so Hinata-chan can teach me to dance."

"I assume 'Shizune-nee' is the Hokage's assistant. Who, may I ask, is 'Ero-sennin'?" Hiashi asked. The amused twitch of his mouth was lost on the suddenly very nervous Naruto. The young man was regretting letting _that_ nickname slip.

"Jiraiya of the Sannin. I swear that I'm not a pervert like he is!" Naruto vigorously defended himself.

The Hyūga Clan head smiled in an attempt to calm the young man down and to indulge in his own amusement. "I am aware. I watched your interaction with my eldest earlier today. You were properly respectful. She was very appreciative of your compliment."

Naruto suddenly felt his mouth go dry. He was hoping most of his time with Hinata like that would be private. "Hiashi-sama…you aren't going to keep tabs on _all_ my time with Hinata-chan, are you?"

"In the future, I will allow a measure of privacy when you are with Hinata. As her father, I am honor-bound to ensure she is treated with respect and kindness. Uzumaki Naruto, I am pleased to say you treated my daughter as she deserved. It gives me comfort that you possess such obvious respect and affection for Hinata," Hiashi assured Naruto.

The young man smiled warmly at Hiashi. "Heh, I've never been all that great at tests, but I'm glad I passed that one."

Hiashi grinned at Naruto's joke. "What time are the reservations?"

"Six o'clock Wednesday evening, sir," Naruto revealed. He was honestly caught off guard by how much proper respect he was showing Hiashi. Then again, he was trying to get on the man's good side and stay there.

"Excellent. If you want to see Hinata, she is currently in her room. I will call for someone to escort you," Hiashi said. He pulled a cord on the wall beside him.

A moment later, an older Hyūga woman Naruto didn't recognize arrived. The Jinchūriki noticed her forehead was covered, signifying her place in the Cadet Branch. "What do you require, Hiashi-sama?"

"Toshiko-san, Uzumaki-san requires an escort to Hinata's room," Hiashi explained. "Once you show Uzumaki-san to my daughter's room, you may return to your previous duties."

"Of course, Hiashi-sama," Toshiko said, but it was clear she was not exactly thrilled with leaving a young man with the Hyūga's beautiful heiress. Regardless, Toshiko escorted Naruto to Hinata's chambers. She was surprised at how friendly the young Chūnin was. Everyone in the Hyūga had heard of Naruto's skill and his victory over Neji. It was nice to learn that he held Hinata-sama in such esteem and that there was no lingering animosity against Neji.

The elderly woman paused in front of Hinata's room. "My lady, it is Toshiko. Hinata-sama, I have escorted one Uzumaki Naruto to see you at the request of your esteemed father, Hiashi-sama."

There was an undeniable, startled yelp from the other side of the door. The yelp was followed by a door being hastily slammed. "S-Send him in, Toshiko…"

"Hey, Hinata-chan!" Naruto said excitedly. Hinata and Toshiko _swore_ they saw a bit of a blush coloring Naruto's cheeks. The older Hyūga woman thought it was innocent enthusiasm, and her concerns were eased. Hinata thought it was adorable and validation that the relationship with Naruto was really happening.

Neither had any idea Naruto was fighting off Jiraiya's influence and trying not to recall Hinata's training outfit clinging to her body too vividly.

"Good afternoon, Naruto-kun…I-I wasn't expecting you back today." Hinata cast a quick glance to the closet. The young man was curious, but figured Hinata wanted to keep what she would be wearing on the date a surprise.

"If there is anything you need?" Toshiko asked. Hinata shook her head negatively. The matron bowed and departed.

"I wanted to see you again," Naruto jumped in right where their conversation had left off. "I also found a place I think we'll have a blast at. Reservations are made and everything."

Hinata's eyes went so wide, Naruto thought she had activated her Byakugan for a moment. There was a moment of concern on the young man's part as he watched Hinata get redder and redder in front of his eyes. The look of utter joy in her eyes put his concerns to rest.

"Naruto-kun…" Hinata whispered. "W-Where, where did you make reservations?"

"Natsumeyashi," Naruto answered. "With everything that is going on, we'll practically have the place to ourselves. The owner is a reserve shinobi, so your dad is cool with it. Shizune-nee and Er…Jiraiya said that they always have music. So, I was wondering…maybe you could teach me to dance?"

Hinata's brain overloaded for a moment as she processed what Naruto had said: dancing.

She thought of the outfit Kareia-chan had helped her select. She also thought of how the dancing Naruto was thinking of required close, physical contact. _'I…I can't believe it! This is a dream come true.'_

"I'd love to!" Hinata exclaimed. Naruto had not heard Hinata use that much enthusiasm since the pep talk. For Hinata's part, Naruto's innate ability to bring out her latent self-confidence was intoxicating.

Naruto was smiling, trembling, and trying to get a grip on the rolling tide of heady emotions flooding his system. He wasn't sure what road they would lead him down if he acted on them. There was also the fact Naruto wasn't sure Hiashi had actually been telling the truth. Naruto would double down that Hiashi was occasionally checking in on the couple.

"That's awesome," Naruto declared. The conversation soon turned to the preparation for the date. Naruto revealed that Ero-sennin had helped him pick out some new clothes for the date. Hinata had been pleased to hear that news. She always liked the way Naruto looked, but the opportunity to see Naruto wearing something fashionable was very exciting.

"So, what are you wearing?" Naruto asked innocently.

A sudden playful edge found its way into Hinata's mind. "I-It's a surprise, Naruto-kun."

"No hints?" Naruto countered Hinata's sudden playfulness with his own.

Hinata feigned thinking about Naruto's offer. "I-I'm afraid you'll just have to wait and see."

Naruto's toying response was cut off by a peal of thunder. The pitter-patter of rain on the roof made Naruto frown. "Of course, I didn't bring an umbrella…"

"Y-You could stay…until the rain stops," the Byakugan Princess suggested hopefully.

"Sure," Naruto answered with a nod, much to Hinata's open glee. Naruto took a moment to catch a glimpse of Hinata's room. He wasn't sure exactly what he had been expecting, but this certainly fit his expectations. The room had a gentle lavender color, was very well-organized, and _girly_. Naruto smiled at the room. It was almost impossible to imagine how the room could better fit his girlfriend. "I like your room. Everything just feels 'Hinata'-ttebayo."

"He's so adorable," Hinata whispered. Her unintended verbal pronouncement reached Naruto's ears. The boy suddenly found himself very warm and sporting a blush that rivaled the one his girlfriend had worn early.

"You're really cute, too," Naruto confessed. The two teens stood silently as they tried to process their newly confessed mutual physical attraction.

Fortunately, they were saved by a knock on the door. "Hinata-sama…it is Neji. Are you and Naruto _proper_ at the moment?"

"Y-Yes," Hinata squeaked out. Neji slid open the door. He took one look into a room that felt less like someone's bedchamber and more like a pressure cooker that was on the verge of _popping_.

The three shinobi weren't exactly sure what to do next. Naruto and Hinata still had steam coming out of their ears as they realized how charged that last moment had been. Neji…Neji simply wished he had shown up a few minutes earlier. Still, he had a message to deliver.

"The thunderstorm shows no signs of abating. Hiashi-sama has extended an invitation for Naruto to dine with us this evening as it would not be hospitable to send him home in such conditions," Neji explained.

"Thanks, I'm sure the food will be great," Naruto readily agreed.

"I will escort you to the dining room. Shall we proceed, Hinata-sama?" Neji asked. Hinata nodded and headed out of her room. Naruto moved out with Neji. The older shinobi looked at Naruto with hard eyes. "I hope you were respectful."

"_Of course, I was_," Naruto didn't quite hiss. "Why is _everyone_ doubting that I'd be nice to Hinata-chan?"

"There are expectations. Hinata-sama is very important to the Hyūga Clan." Neji waited to see what Naruto's reaction would be.

"Well, Hinata-chan is important _to me_, too-ttebayo!" Naruto responded to Neji's test with his usual volume. Hinata tripped as her brain was suddenly happily overloaded…again.

"Oneesama!" Hanabi called out. Hiashi's other pretty daughter was running through the halls towards her sister.

"Hanabi-chan!" Hinata called back happily.

Naruto found himself simultaneously cursing and thanking Ero-sennin for making him take closer looks at women. The jinchūriki, temporarily forgetful of where he was and who was standing next to him, took a good look at both his girlfriend and her sister. Hinata was wearing a white, long-sleeve t-shirt that was _well-fitted_ and a comfortable-looking pair of lavender capris. Hanabi was still wearing her black shinobi bodysuit.

It was soaked from the rain.

Naruto easily recognized the sisterly resemblance. Hanabi's…development…wasn't as 'far along' as her older sister, but she was coming along nicely.

The soaking wet Genin promptly wrapped her somewhat-protesting oneesama in a bear hug. "Oneesama, I was _so bored_ during the last part of my mission! All we did was stand around. The only good part was when I learned that I won't have to beat up your boyfriend. I'm so glad to be home."

"I-I'm glad you are home, Hanabi-chan…but I'm wearing white!" Hinata finished in an embarrassed whisper. Hanabi broke the hug and looked down. The younger sister had the good sense to look sheepish.

Naruto had the good sense to not appear like he was gawking at the two beautiful Hyūga girls _too_ much.

Without thinking, Hinata turned to face Naruto and Neji. "Excuse me Naruto-kun and Neji-niisan, but I must change. Etiquette requires that I be _properly_ attired for dinner."

The elder Hyūga sister was not fully aware of how wet her sister had been. Neji looked away out of respect. Naruto kept staring, also out of respect. His face was incredibly red and he covered his mouth and nose in a feeble attempt to hide the look of 'admiration'. For the first time in Naruto's life, he had a tiny bit of understanding why Jiraiya peeked at women's baths.

Hinata looked down and realized her white top was now see-through. She did what came naturally. She screamed. Hanabi grabbed her sister's hand. The younger sister was apologizing profusely as she led Hinata towards the residential wing. Naruto's hormones decided to take control and his gaze followed the sisters down the hall. All the while, they whispered suggestions that Hinata and Hanabi looked as good from the back as they did from the front. Conscious thought took control just in time to see Neji pinning Naruto in place with a withering look.

"What?" Naruto asked nervously. _'At least it wasn't Hiashi…'_

"Naruto…is there any apology you feel you should be offering?" Neji asked his own question.

Naturally, Naruto was a bit upset. It wasn't _his_ fault Hinata-chan and Hanabi were that pretty. "Uh, I'm sorry your cousins are really, really pretty?"

That, Naruto later decided, was probably not the wisest answer to give to a newly overprotective older brother-figure.

* * *

Naruto and Neji had been conversing with Hiashi for a few minutes before Hinata and Hanabi returned. Hinata, much to Naruto's relief, no longer looked mortified. The Hyūga sisters had slipped into traditional Hyūga robes. The clothing choice didn't send Naruto into a hormonal stupor, but the young man could appreciate the robes. They were regal, and as such, fit the character of Hinata and Hanabi very well.

"Forgive our tardiness, Father," Hinata apologized.

Hiashi held up his hand to forestall any further apologizes from his daughters. "There is no need for apologizes. Dinner has not yet been served."

The talk was light and Naruto enjoyed the chance to be involved in a family dinner. Naruto was really happy with the food. Homemade just tasted different somehow. However, Naruto tried not to frown as yet another peal of thunder emphasized the stubborn nature of the storm outside. He also couldn't help but notice how tired Hiashi looked. _'At least he doesn't look like he is in much pain,'_ Naruto thought glumly. Hanabi and Hinata's forlorn looks didn't help Naruto's mood either. They were watching their father slowly wither away.

"I will retire for the evening," Hiashi announced. Naruto quickly followed Hinata, Hanabi, and Neji's lead and rose to his feet. "Hinata, if you would show Naruto-san to a guest room. It would be a failing of Hyūga hospitality if we forced him to go home in such weather."

"I-I would be h-happy to show Naruto-kun to a guest room, Otou-sama," Hinata acknowledged her father's 'request'. She couldn't believe how supportive her otou-sama was of the embryonic relationship she had with Naruto. If she didn't know better, Hiashi was almost more excited about the possibility of the relationship than she was.

"Oneesama," Hanabi said the second Hiashi left the room. "After you show Naruto-kun to his room, would you like to join me in the baths?"

"I would like that. I'm still sore from my training today. Would you mind if Kareia-chan joined us?" Hinata asked.

Hanabi nodded. "I'd like that. I want to know how she does that braid."

'_D-Did they forget I'm in the room? If they keep talking like that, I'll turn into Ero-sennin! I want to be a badass shinobi like Ero-sennin, but I don't want to be a pervert like him!'_ Naruto felt the same haze that fell over him in Hinata's room start to settle into place again.

"I'll see you later, Imouto." Hinata turned to Naruto with a smile on her face. The haze emphatically pointed out that the smile Hinata was wearing was reserved for very few people. "Would you follow me, Naruto-kun?"

"S-Sure, Hinata-chan," Naruto stammered in admiration. He was a bit dumbfounded by how fast and how strong his newfound attraction to Hinata was. _'I guess it is because she has acknowledged me in ways almost no one else has.'_ It didn't explain why he had been checking out _his girlfriend's sister_, but Naruto chalked it up to having a thing for elegant and talented kunoichi. There was a bit of guilt with his fledgling physical attraction, but there wasn't any strong emotional connection with Hanabi like Naruto had with Hinata.

"I hope you enjoyed dinner, Naruto-kun," Hinata said hopefully.

"It was great. I'll have to thank your dad in the morning for letting me stay," Naruto replied.

Hinata nodded. "I-I never thought that Otou-sama would be this supportive…"

"Maybe someone heard your wish in the first part of the Chūnin Exams?" Naruto guessed. Hinata shot Naruto an inquisitive look. The young man continued, "You said that you didn't want me to disappear there. Now, it looks like you're stuck with me."

"I-I prefer to think of it as being _with_ instead of being _stuck_ with you," Hinata confessed. She paused in front of a door. "T-This will be your room for the evening, Naruto-kun."

"It's…closer to your room than I thought it'd be," Naruto observed. Hinata blushed brightly, but nodded. Naruto felt the haze return a bit. His resistance to its influence had been weakening all day. In an uncharacteristic moment, Naruto gave up. He stopped fighting.

Naruto would claim this as his first kiss. It was quick, chaste, and gentle. Naruto pulled back feeling pretty good about how he handled that situation. "Good night, Hinata-chan."

"Mhm," Hinata said in a daze. She was fairly certain _all _her blood was in her face. Naruto headed into the room. The heiress stared at Naruto's door as her mind processed what had just happened. The second it clicked, Hinata jumped up and down in place. She started shouting in exuberant incoherence.

Her verbal outburst didn't make any sense, but her thoughts roughly translated to:_'This really is the best day of my life!'_

* * *

**Author's Note: **I know this wasn't the fic you were expecting to be updated next. My muse just took off on this fic.

Now, I normally don't do this, but I'm going to respond to a guest review. To the guest review complaining about the OC...I had this passive-aggressive thing planned where I was going to imply you and your parents failed to instill the ability to achieve deep reading comprehension. Instead I'm just going to say, pay attention. This is a Naruto **Hyuga** harem. Show me another female Hyuga who isn't 10+ years older than the Konoha 12 and she'll be in the harem.

The problem is you can't. One doesn't exist. Kareia is staying in the fic. She's staying in the harem. End of story.

For everyone else, sorry about that. I hope you enjoy the chapter. Please review. They motivate me more than anything. Towards the Dawn will be the next story updated. I'm sitting at about 6500 words as of this posting which is about half of the chapter. Thanks for the great response to this fic!


	3. Chapter 3

Naruto sat at the edge of the bed the Hyūga had given him for the night. The young man was pretty sure it was two in the morning, but he couldn't sleep. The bed wasn't the problem. The unfamiliar setting wasn't the problem either. Well, not totally. Heck, the reason he couldn't sleep wasn't even _bad_.

It had all started when he had woken up a few hours ago in need of a bathroom. Naruto, being a guest, knew it would have been alright to ask for directions. He just didn't want to wake anyone up. In his misguided, sleep-drunk politeness, Naruto wandered the halls until he found a door that was inexplicably cracked open. At first, his sleep-addled brain was thrilled to see the edge of a toilet.

Then he registered three facts that froze him in place outside of the door. First, there was the sound of sloshing and draining water. That immediately put Naruto on guard as it was a fairly clear signal that the bath was occupied. Second, was a trio of distinct feminine laughs.

"I haven't had that much fun in a while," Hinata clearly said on the other side of the door.

A voice Naruto didn't recognize spoke next, "I apologize for keeping you up…Hinata-sama, Hanabi-sama."

"Don't worry about it, Kareia-san," Hanabi assured this Kareia girl. "We won't mention to the elders that we all dared to have fun and 'had the audacity and gall' to actually be friends with each other."

At that moment the third fact revealed itself and Naruto saw something that would grace his dreams for the next several weeks. Through the crack in the door, Naruto caught a flash of skin that _clearly_ belonged to his mind-bogglingly attractive girlfriend. The image was visible only for the heartbeat it took to redirect pretty much all of his blood to his cheeks and secondary brain. He was fully awake and had discovered a fundamental universal truth.

He had been wrong earlier. Oh so victoriously wrong. Hinata had a _much_ better body than Ino.

"_And they were having __fun__ together!" _A hallucination of a tiny Jiraiya, complete with a tiny notebook and a perverted giggle, appeared on Naruto's shoulder.

'_F-Fun?'_ Naruto thought and much to his conflicted dismay and wonder caught a miniscule glance at the Hyūga girl he hadn't met personally. Naruto instinctively knew it wasn't Hanabi, as the other girl was too tall to be Hinata's sister.

Naruto's hands shot to his mouth to stem his nose's sudden torrent. The Chūnin knew that one of his future responsibilities was to know when a situation was best served by beating…executing a hasty retreat. He, fortunately for his bladder, found an unoccupied bathroom on the way back to his guest room. Naruto buried his face in the pillow and tried to sleep. However, it did not come easily, as the flashes of Hinata he saw graced every second his eyes were closed. His imagination was doing the best job it could do to fill in the blanks. The young man chuckled into the pillow, before shooting to his feet on the bed. An irrational fear that Neji or Hiashi could read minds like a Yamanaka had been planted in his mind. He pushed it aside and tried to sleep, but the welcomed flashes of imagery and fear of Hiashi resurfaced every time.

'_Oh God, Hiashi-sama didn't want me to see that until I married Hinata-chan! He'll spontaneously recover to beat me into a coma! At least he'll be healed though, that should win me a few points with Hinata-chan…no! I can impress Hinata-chan _without_ nearly being murdered by her father!'_

* * *

Hiashi despised many details of his condition. He despised that it was the enemy he hated above all others, Kumo, that put him in this condition. The Hyūga Clan Head had fought on the frontlines against Kumo in the last Shinobi World War. The memories of the War had definitely added to Hiashi's satisfaction when he had killed the Head Ninja. Those same memories drove his willingness to sacrifice his life for the village. He remembered the horrors of war and how Kumo was a worthy adversary for Konoha. Hundreds, perhaps thousands would die in any war. His daughters could not and would not see the hell of a Shinobi World War if Hiashi had any say in the matter.

He hated how his rivals, including his own father, were trying to take advantage of his…weakness to undo his reforms and cast his beloved daughters aside.

Hiashi currently hated the fact that his body had failed him to the point where he required a cane.

"Yo!" Naruto shouted a very unconventional greeting to the head of the Hyūga Clan. "Good morning, Hiashi-sama!"

"Good morning, Naruto. I hope your evening was pleasant," Hiashi returned the greeting.

Naruto's blushed earned a semi-amused quirk of the eyebrow from the Hyūga head. The boy put a confident front and nodded. "Yeah, it was great. Thanks for letting me stay the night!"

"You're welcome." Hiashi nodded at the boy who was courting his eldest daughter. "Ah, I promised you access to the histories of the relationship between the Uzumaki Clan and the Hyūga Clan."

"You did! Hiashi-sama, you have no idea how big a deal this is for me!" Naruto shouted. He considered hugging the man for a moment, but was worried he'd bowl him over.

"Naruto…you are doing a great deal for me as well," Hiashi reminded the young man. "Follow me to my office."

"Sure…" Naruto agreed.

The Clan Head led Naruto the office. Hiashi sat first before offering Naruto a seat. "The current Archivist is clearly in my father's camp. Katashi-san will no doubt attempt to delay your searches. Instead, seek out Kareia-san. She is a friend of Hinata's and is being trained to succeed Katashi-san as Archivist."

Hiashi looked down to write out a form stating that Kareia was to assist Naruto in his search. Thus, he missed Naruto's eyes glaze over a bit as he recalled the previous evening and it's 'sights'. "I-it's good Hinata-chan has friends in the clan."

"It is," Hiashi agreed and handed over the orders. "That bears my personal seal. None will be able to dispute your orders."

"Hinata-chan's granddad might argue that point," Naruto grumbled.

Hiashi leaned back in his chair and smiled. "He will try. He will fail, but he will try."

"Oh man, I'm glad we are getting along so well," Naruto laughed.

* * *

Kareia yawned as she put away one of the scrolls detailing the history of her clan. She had recently finished another restoration of that scroll. It was _finally_ safe to move the ancient scroll. The past few days had been incredibly boring. Reviewing each and every scroll to make sure that they were not in need of restoration was tedious.

Her 'valuable' work maintained the Hyūga's historical records. It glorified the Clan. The restoration unequivocally demonstrated that the Hyūga Clan were masters of the past as well as taijutsu. Kareia's valuable work was a thief. It had stolen the Hyūga Cadet away from her own life and dreams. Her future had been cast aside so that she could be shackled to the past.

"Why do _you_ get to stay here? Why do I have to go meet the replacement goldfish for our old team?"

Kareia gaped at the conversation taking place at the entrance to the Hyūga archives. It was a voice she didn't recognize, but instantly knew.

"Can you make a dozen copies of us?" a second incarnation of the voice countered.

"Damn it, fine! I'll leave the clan compound where our insanely gorgeous girlfriend lives with a bunch of other very pretty girls and go deal with a brooding Sasuke!"

The second Naruto-voice groaned. "Maybe you can challenge him to spar? I mean, sparring always puts him in a better mood."

"You did pump a ton of chakra into me…sure, why not? It'll be fun I guess," Naruto-voice-number-one conceded.

Kareia had moved closer to the door in an attempt to sate her building curiosity. She heard one set of footsteps fade with distance. The second set moved closer to the door.

"Excuse me?" Naruto's voice called out.

Kareia assumed it was the original Naruto. The conversation had implied he was speaking with a bunshin of some kind he had created. She straightened her simple Hyūga robes and opened the door. _'I hope I'm not blushing! He described Hyūga girls in general as _very_ pretty. T-That probably included me!'_

"How may I help you?" Kareia asked as she bowed. The bow served as a nice cover to take a look at Hinata-sama's suitor. He was still wearing his Chūnin Uniform, but wearing it very well. Naruto's appearance was so unlike any of the Hyūga. Naruto was also very different from Tekuno-sensei, in appearance at least, and from Jōichiro-kun and Masaji-kun.

Kareia was _really_ starting to understand part of Hinata-sama's interest in Uzumaki Naruto.

"Well, you're not a grumpy old man working for Hinata's Grampasshole, so that means you're Kareia and _exactly_ who I'm looking for."

"Grandpasshole?" Kareia covered her mouth and gasped. The gasp twisted and evolved of its own free will. Now, Kareia's hand was a dam futilely attempting to hold back the raging torrent of her laughter. Naruto had said, in a way that caused her lungs to scream in protest, something that practically the entire Hyūga Clan had only dreamed of. "Oh god! _Grandpasshole!"_

"Ha! I _knew _I wasn't the only one who was thinking that!" Naruto shook his head.

"No," Kareia struggled to get such a simple monosyllable word past her laughter. "We just never thought of using a term like that…"

Naruto's triumphant grin lit up the room. Kareia took a deep breath, both because she desperately needed it and to further compose herself. "It is nice to finally meet you, Uzumaki-san. Hinata-sama always speaks so highly of you."

"Nice to meet you, too!" Naruto rubbed the back of his head. It was a nervous habit Hinata-sama had described as endearing. Hinata-sama always spoke glowingly about Naruto, but Kareia could definitely agree with the assessment now that she had finally met Naruto in person.

For his part, Naruto was getting a decent look at Kareia for the first time. He desperately tried to keep the imagery form the previous night to a minimum. Kareia's facial features, along with those of a few other Hyūga Naruto had noticed around the compound, almost looked like some of those of the Suna ninja Naruto had seen during the Chūnin Exams.

'_Her forehead's covered…that means she has that damn manji branded there,'_ Naruto thought. It was bad enough that Neji, one of Naruto's sorta-friends, was branded with the Cursed Seal. The thought that it appeared to be so common made it worse. Naruto remembered that Jiraiya was a fuinjutsu expert.

'_I'll have to talk to Ero-sennin about that soon,' _Naruto declared to himself. He'd have to at least understand fuinjutsu if he was going to succeed in changing the Hyūga Clan and removing that damn seal.

"Oh, before we _really_ get off track, I need your help. You're the 'Archivist', right?" Naruto asked.

"I'm Katashi-sama's apprentice. I will not have the title officially until he retires or passes on," Kareia explained.

Naruto grunted. "I don't see him around and it looks like you've been doing all the work around here. So, as far as I'm concerned _you're_ the Archivist. Anyone who's on Hinata-chan's side and not Grandpasshole's side is going to get my vote."

"Thank you, Uzumaki-san." Kareia bowed. It was nice to have her work and efforts appreciated again. "Why do you think I've been doing all the restoration work?"

Naruto chuckled and winked. "You've got some ink stains on the edge of your sleeve. And call me Naruto. Uzumaki-san is _waaaay_ to formal for me. It's driving me nuts having to call Hiashi-sama sama. I feel like I'm not being his friend when I use sama."

'_He views Hiashi-sama as a friend? They barely know each other…but…Hiashi-sama is openly approving of Naruto-san…'_ Kareia thought, before looking at the end of her sleeves. _'How did he notice the stains? __**I**__ didn't notice those!'_

"I-It is rare for someone to approach Hiashi-sama so casually," Kareia managed to squeak out.

"Well, maybe that's why I'm here? I mean, Hinata-chan and her sister can't be the only ones actually having fun around here."

Kareia giggled. If Naruto's humor was infectious, then it was the most welcome virus in the history of the world. "Some of the elders frown on such displays. I believe we are getting off track again."

"Seems like it!" Naruto laughed as he fished a scroll out of one his flak jacket's pockets. "Hiashi-sama gave me permission to look at the records of how the Hyūga and my clan, the Uzumaki, got along."

Naruto watched her carefully as Kareia slipped into memory. There was no denying that she was definitely Hyūga. The Uzumaki Chūnin was still curious as to why he thought of Suna when he saw Kareia. Naruto opened his mouth to ask the question, but Kareia beat him to the punch.

"We have numerous records of our interaction with the Uzumaki Clan. Unfortunately, the pre-Founding records are currently undergoing restoration. That scroll is currently being treated by Cryptology in a chakra matrix to restore the structural integrity of the scroll."

Kareia giggled as Naruto started to pout. The look reminded Kareia of her young cousin, Katsuro, being told he couldn't have dessert first. "What other records do you have?"

"I believe that the Clan's records on the wedding of the Shodai Hokage and Uzumaki Mito have recently been restored. That historical record would be a great choice. It will show more than just the Hyūga's relationship to your clan."

"That's awesome!" Naruto shouted. He suddenly realized he was basically in the Hyūga Library and clammed up. Kareia's urge to laugh out loud was feverish. If there was a prescription to cure Naruto's good humor, Kareia would make it her life mission to keep it out of the Elders' hands.

"Follow me," Kareia said warmly. "I'll have to warn you, even with the restoration, the scrolls are very old and delicate."

"I promise I'll be very careful!" Naruto thumped his chest. "Hey, Kareia. I have a semi-personal question."

"O-Oh? What's that Naruto-san?" Kareia was glad she was in front of Naruto. Her position hid her nervous blush.

"Was someone in your family from Suna or something? I mean, you stand out as much as Hinata-chan and Hanabi. It's pretty…unique," Naruto finished quickly. A flash of last night had momentarily distracted him.

Kareia nearly tripped as she heard Naruto's attempt to cover his slip. "Well," she paused. "Before the Hyūga Clan settled in Konoha we traveled across the Southern areas of the Continent. For a time, we were very influential in what would become the Land of Wind. There were several marriages between local nobility and the Hyūga during that time."

"Oh," Naruto said. He noticed that Kareia was smiling as she recounted the history of her Clan. Kareia, for her part, acknowledged that she truly enjoyed the history of her Clan. If her future position as Archivist hadn't been forced, or used as a gilded cage to punish her for questioning the Clan's treatment of Hinata, she would have accepted the offer of her own free will.

"The features occasionally return. I guess that heritage is mine," Kareia admitted.

Naruto smiled as they reached a section of the records room. "Like I said, you certainly aren't the average Hyūga."

Kareia turned to face Naruto. She wasn't even going to try to fight her blush. "T-Thank you."

"You're welcome!" Naruto responded with the most enthusiastic graciousness Kareia had ever heard. He made a hand-seal the Hyūga Cadet did not recognize. A second Naruto appeared out of a smoke screen. "You know how to handle the scrolls, right?"

The Clone rolled its eyes. "Of course! Do you think I'd do anything to get Hiashi-sama, or worse, _Hinata-chan,_ mad at me?"

"Good point," Naruto agreed with the clone. He turned back to Kareia. "Thanks again!"

"I-I'm happy to help you…this…conversation has made my day," Kareia responded with a bow. Once again, Naruto (both of them) rubbed the back of their heads.

'_You are very lucky, Hinata-sama.'_

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was at his core someone who craved, even lusted after, stability and familiarity. His world, and perhaps his sanity, had been torn apart the night Itachi betrayed the Uchiha Clan. As he slowly recovered, Sasuke had discovered or been consumed by a new form of stability. His hatred and pursuit of vengeance had become his focus. Sasuke had slipped into a familiar routine of training, focusing on his hatred for Itachi, and planning for the day he killed Itachi. That stability had carried Sasuke far.

Recently, Sasuke had found a routine and stability in Team Seven.

The training had, at first, given him hope that he could catch up to Itachi. The mission to Wave had awakened his Sharingan. Kakashi had provided him with a powerful jutsu in the Chidori. The knowledge Kakashi had provided on the Sharingan was vastly more important than the jutsu.

Of everything Sasuke had gotten out of Team Seven, Naruto's rivalry was probably the most important. Naruto had pushed Sasuke further and faster than Sasuke had thought possible. Sasuke couldn't deny that Naruto truly was his best friend. The events of the Chūnin Exam had all but confirmed that.

Then Orochimaru and Itachi had shown him that what Sasuke thought was enough was anything but.

Itachi had obliterated Sasuke, even with Sasuke's Sharingan and Chidori.

Now, Sasuke was quickly falling behind _Naruto_ of all people! Sasuke's somewhat idiotic best friend had not only defeated Gaara and mastered a powerful jutsu that rivaled or surpassed the Chidori, but had been promoted to Chūnin!

'_The difference has to be Jiraiya of the Sannin.' _That was the only explanation that made any sense at all.

Naruto's promotion did not sit well with Sasuke. On the one hand, it was a constant reminder that Naruto had truly surpassed him. There was also the infuriating fact that Sasuke no longer had an adequate gauge for his progression.

Team Seven's new member, a Gennin named Kōta, was too deferential. Sasuke vaguely remembered that he came from a very minor clan, barely more than a family, which had always been a vassal of the Uchiha. There was no way Kōta would challenge Sasuke's growth or lack thereof. He would praise Sasuke's prowess in an attempt to gain favor with the Uchiha.

There was a part of Sasuke that admitted he enjoyed the thought of people attempting to curry favor with his Clan.

'_If only there was a Clan to curry favor with,' _Sasuke thought.

"Excuse me, Uchiha-sama," Kōta was attempting to broach whatever subject was on his mind with care. "Is Kakashi-sensei always late?"

Sasuke grunted and nodded. Sakura, who had been mostly quiet after Sasuke had ignored her last request to spend time together after training, decided to rejoin the conversation. "Kakashi-sensei is chronically tardy. He'll show up with a very lame excuse."

"I dunno, I kinda liked the one about the dance-off against the ghost of MC Genjustu Daichi."

Everyone looked up to see the blond-headed former member of Team Seven approach from the street. "How are you Sakura-chan? Sasuke? Uh, new…guy?"

"My name is Kōta, Naruto-sempai," the young man bowed politely as he introduced himself.

Naruto chuckled. "No need for that. You're probably older than I am."

"I can't believe I'm about to say this," Sakura began with a laugh. "You actually look pretty good in the flak jacket, Naruto."

"Thanks!" Naruto flashed a thumbs-up. Everyone was shocked when Naruto blushed and looked down. They expected, even Kōta who had barely seen Naruto's crush during the Academy, this reaction. They hadn't expected the target of Naruto's affections, however. "Hinata-chan thought the same thing."

"Since when has it been Hinata-_chan?_" Sakura teased good-naturedly.

"Two days," Naruto admitted. "I went to ask her dad for permission and…well…turns out Hiashi-sama heard about the Blood Vow…"

"Naruto…everyone has heard about the Blood Vow."

Everyone jumped as an incredibly casual voice joined the conversation.

"You're late!" Naruto and Sakura called out, mostly in nostalgia.

Kakashi, who was sitting on a tree limb behind Team Seven and Naruto, put away his copy of Icha Icha. "Well, you see…I was on my way here when this ghost of an obscure Western Holiday appeared and asked me for directions to a miserly old man's house. After explaining that I had no idea where said business man lived, the ghost left. I didn't want to bring along any ghost-iness to the team meeting. I had to head to a temple to get purified. After that, I had to avoid a migration of black cats. You know how it is."

Naruto nodded a few times. "It's complicated. No one wants to get caught up in any ghost-iness."

"Good to see someone understands!" Kakashi laughed, mainly at the dumbfounded look Team Seven was giving the Jonin and Chūnin. "Now, I know that you probably have a lot of new responsibilities, Naruto! We won't keep you, but would you like to say a few words to your teammates?"

"Yeah…" Naruto agreed. "They'll always be my teammates. Even Kōta. At the end of the day, we are all Shinobi of Konoha. Sasuke, Sakura-chan…our missions, even chasing that damn cat, will always be some of my most precious memories. I haven't had many bonds in my life. You all were some of my first. I'll always treasure Team Seven. Sakura-chan, thanks for the hints back in Wave for Tree Walking. Sasuke…teme…we're going to have to find a time to just beat the absolute crap out of each other."

Sakura, Kakashi, and Kōta laughed at Naruto's joke about the cat. The joke even got a smirk out of Sasuke. Naruto broke the ice and the conversation became light and natural. Eventually, the Chūnin said his goodbyes and departed.

Kakashi reached into his pocket after waving goodbye to his knuckleheaded student. "Now, before we can take on some missions, we need to have a bit of _survival training!"_

Sakura groaned and Sasuke narrowed his eyes as Kakashi produced two bells. Kakashi noticed their reaction and eye smiled. "I'm sure you two know how this song and dance goes…"

Across the training ground, Naruto's kage bunshin was smiling as he recalled the original Team Seven's Bell Test. "I hope the Boss liked my speech."

'_That wasn't as bad as I feared,'_ the kage bunshin thought before he dispelled.

* * *

Umino Iruka was ready for a pleasant evening of absolutely nothing. This was the first week since the Sound and Sand Invasion where Iruka had used his pre-existing lesson plans. There was going to be no stress tonight, Iruka declared to himself. Naruto was off with Jiraiya-sama, or the Hyūga Clan if the rumors were true. Thus, Iruka's wallet was safe from paying for a very hungry teenager's dinner bill for a while.

'_I guess Naruto's meeting with Hiashi-sama went well.'_ Iruka was proud of his surrogate little brother.

He finished locking up his planning room while whistling the theme song to his childhood's favorite movie. Iruka turned around and saw a woman approaching who matched the theme of his puberty's favorite magazine's themes. She was a Hyūga, as her Byakugan made it impossible for her to be anything else. Her outfit was what reminded of his teenage years. The Hyūga woman was wearing a maid's outfit. She was also wearing a determined, yet polite look. It suited her well, Iruka thought.

"Excuse me," the Hyūga's voice rang out. In Iruka's mind, it was almost the perfect impression of a Yamato Nadeshiko.

"May I help you, miss?" Iruka asked with a small blush. He was slightly embarrassed by the direction his thoughts had led. There was also the fact he was nervous at the attention of a beautiful woman.

"I am Hyūga Natsu, an attendant of Hinata-sama and primarily Hanabi-sama. Would you happen to be Umino Iruka?"

Iruka put on his best smile. "I am. Let me guess, you want to talk about Naruto? He hasn't been too much of an uncouth knucklehead has he?"

"On the contrary, he has been charming…almost unnaturally so," Natsu confessed. She had, somewhat contrary to Hiashi-sama's orders, kept close tabs on Naruto's interactions with Hanabi-sama and Hinata-sama. Natsu wasn't familiar with Naruto personally, but recalled his nature as a prankster and general troublemaker. Additionally, she was concerned about the Kyūbi sealed within Naruto. The Hyūga maid knew that Naruto was not the Kyūbi and was in no way directly influenced or controlled by the Bijū. Her concern regarded the late Sandaime-sama's law on revealing the existence of the Kyūbi. Hinata and Hanabi had always shown a nerve-wracking amount of curiosity about the Uzumaki boy. The girls' natural empathy had led them to sympathize with the outcast. Natsu was constantly fretting that if they observed him with their Byakugan that they would stumble upon certain truths

'_Sarutobi Hiruzen-sama was always fairly legalistic. I doubt he would have executed Hinata-sama or Hanabi-sama as the law mandated, but I cannot bear the thought of those precious girls being in danger. Tsunade-sama has not revealed her stance on that law…'_

"Are you sure we're talking about Uzumaki Naruto? Charming?" Iruka blurted out. The thought of Naruto acting suave was the single most hilarious image he had experienced in days.

"I was under the impression that you were very close to Uzumaki-san," Natsu deadpanned.

The teacher chuckled. "I guess I am. That's part of the reason I'm so surprised. He…hasn't been too forward with Hinata has he? I know he was very excited about the chance to ask her out."

Natsu seemed a bit relieved. "Perhaps we should discuss this at length. There is a coffee shop nearby, I hope it is not too 'forward', but I feel it is a pleasant place for conversation."

'_Unless Natsu reveals Naruto has done something awful, I'll be thanking him with a trip to Ichiraku for this,'_ Iruka thought.

"That is a very nice café," Iruka agreed. "I hope that I can put your concerns to rest. Naruto means well and I can promise that he isn't trying to take advantage of Hinata in any way."

"Thank you," the Hyūga maid responded.

The Hyūga caretaker and the Academy teacher entered the café. After a while, they retrieved their orders. The pair sat and enjoyed the coffee, which was still a fairly exotic drink due to the instability in the Far South. Eventually, Iruka decided to take the lead.

"Natsu-san, what has you concerned about Naruto's interaction with your charges?"

"I have known about Hinata-sama's infatuation with Uzumaki-san for some time, but…" Natsu paused to find the right words. Everyone knew that Iruka and Naruto were close.

Iruka hummed understandingly. "Let me guess, Naruto's enthusiasm caught you off guard."

"The boy had shown…little knowledge of Hinata's existence prior to the Chūnin Exams. Hiashi-sama may approve of some of Uzumaki-san's _forward_ acts, but I still must do my part to protect Hinata-sama's virtue." Natsu pursed her lips. She quickly locked eyes with Iruka after the teacher snorted. Her glare hardened, but that only seemed to amuse Iruka more. "Is there something _amusing, _Umino-san?"

"Naruto trying to physically seduce Hinata is probably the least of your worries," Iruka explained. "If I had to wager, I'd say he's probably freaking out over his attraction to Hinata. Naruto hasn't told me for some reason, but there was an event in his childhood that made him very wary of 'perverts' and overt sexuality. We know he wasn't abused in any way, I think he was just embarrassed by something or someone."

"I-I was unaware," Natsu admitted.

"Not many people are. He's recently been opening up to several people, such as myself, Tsunade-sama, Jiraiya-sama. I think the experience with the Hyūga will help him. Your clan will help him view…such matters in a healthy way," Iruka finished.

"Iruka-san, I must thank you for not only putting my concerns to rest, but for your faith in the Hyūga," Natsu said apologetically.

"You were acting in what you considered Hinata and Hanabi's best interest. I should thank you for not acting against Naruto based off the prejudices the village forced upon him. I'm glad to see that the village is finally seeing Naruto for the dedicated, hard-working, and _loyal_ young man he truly is."

"Naruto-san is fortunate to have such a staunch defender," Natsu complimented the teacher.

Iruka looked down in embarrassment. "I actually hated Naruto at first. I was just as guilty of baseless prejudice as the rest of Konoha."

"I find that hard to believe, Iruka-san. Your loyalty to Naruto seems as strong as my loyalty to Hinata-sama and Hanabi-sama." Natsu leaned forward curiously.

"Not at first…" Iruka met Natsu's gaze. It was a rare day when someone could maintain eye contact with a Hyūga. "My friendship with Naruto started over a bowl of ramen…"

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto, the original and not one of the many clones scattered across Konoha, arrived at the apartment Jiraiya used while in Konoha. The freshly promoted Chūnin knocked on the door. He hoped Jiraiya was there, but doubted it. _'I should have brought Neji along. There's _no way _I'd bring Hinata to meet Ero-sennin without Baa-chan, Hiashi-sama, or half a dozen _responsible _adults around.'_

"Hold your horses!" The agitated Toad Sage shouted. Naruto was relieved that he had caught his irresponsible, but knowledgeable teacher at home. Jiraiya opened the door and grinned at his apprentice. "Well, look who it is! Come on in."

Naruto took a cautious glance into the apartment. He had been expecting a monstrosity straight out of the brothels Naruto had discovered Jiraiya in during their search for Tsunade. Instead, he saw a comfortable yet sparsely furnished room. The most prominent features were a pair of broken-in recliners, a small table, and a desk setting. The desk was clearly the most used piece of furniture in the immediate area. There were stacks of paper, pens, notebooks and other tools Jiraiya needed for his _other_ job. Naruto finally stepped in the apartment and headed for the closer recliner. Jiraiya had a look of relief as he sat in the other one.

'_Guess that was his favorite,'_ Naruto thought.

"Not what you were expecting, eh brat?" Jiraiya asked with a hearty laugh.

Naruto returned the laugh and shook his head. "I expected something…I dunno, crazier."

"That's not surprising," Jiraiya acknowledged. "I'm just not around in Konoha enough to really need a fully-decked out apartment. I'm on the road so much with my network."

"Makes sense," Naruto relented.

"So, what brings you here? We aren't meeting for training until after your date," Jiraiya pointed out.

"I've got Kage Bunshin running around taking care of a couple of things. Hinata-chan is meeting with Kurenai-sensei about something, so I can't train with her in taijutsu yet and I can't find Neji."

"Smart thinking brat," Jiraiya interrupted in order to praise his student. "The only shinobi on a Hyūga's level for taijutsu are Might Guy and his apprentice."

"Yeah, Super Bushy Brows and Lee are really good at taijutsu. Anyway, I was thinking about training and I came up with a question that has been eating at me."

"Ask away."

The Chūnin met his teacher's eyes. "Do you know how to counter the Sharingan? Itachi is after me. He's after Sasuke. There **will** be a second run-in with the guy. If he catches me with that genjutsu he wrecked Sasuke with…"

"You'd be fucked," Jiraiya finished bluntly.

"It'd be bad." Naruto actually shivered at the thought of how outclassed he was by Itachi at the moment. "I do remember something from my team's mission to Wave though. Zabuza, that eyebrowless freak, found a way to counter Kakashi-sensei's Sharingan."

Jiraiya leaned back in his seat and waited to hear Naruto's theory. Jiraiya had never really had to fight _against_ the Sharingan much in his career. Still, with Itachi going rogue and Orochimaru trying his damnedest to get his scaly mitts on the Sharingan, Jiraiya needed to discover potential counters.

"Well, Zabuza used the Kirigakure no Jutsu a lot. At first, he didn't make it really thick and paid for it when Kakashi-sensei kicked his ass, with Sasuke's and my help obviously. Zabuza really poured a ton of chakra into the jutsu for the rematch. The mist was so thick that it almost _felt_ solid."

"If he can't see you to make eye-contact, there's far less chance to be caught in a genjutsu. The Sharingan can see the color and intensity of chakra. Pumping a ton into your jutsu could confuse that sense," Ero-sennin said admiringly.

"I thought it wasn't as good at seeing chakra as Hinata-chan's Byakugan," Naruto blurted out.

"The Sharingan can only see the color of chakra and how intense it is. The Byakugan can see details like the chakra network, active seals, area of effect genjutsu. You name something created, powered, or using chakra and the Hyūga can see it. Not only can they see it, they can give you details beyond color and intensity like weaknesses, flow, and direction."

"What's the difference between intensity and weaknesses? Aren't flow and direction the same thing?" Naruto asked.

"The difference is subtle. We'll go into a lot of detail tomorrow as it'll help with genjutsu and eventually mastering the Kyūbi's chakra." Naruto flinched, but Jiraiya continued. "Besides, you've got a date tonight. The last thing you want is for me to ramble on for hours about tenketsu when you _should_ be focusing on that girlfriend of yours."

Naruto chuckled nervously. The venerable sage continued, "The basics of each are simple enough. Tsunade-hime knows the advanced theoretical stuff. Let's start with intensity and weakness. Intensity is just what it sounds like. A powerful jutsu, or say the Kyūbi's chakra, will have high intensity. The Sharingan and Byakugan will see it burning brightly. The Sharingan can only see how bright or intense the chakra is. The Byakugan can see strength and weakness. Say, the ninja messes up his jutsu. The Byakugan can see _where_ he screwed up. The chakra will still appear intense, but the Byakugan could tell where it was 'thinner' or 'uneven'."

"That's awesome, but…Don't the Hyūga and Sasuke's clan try to keep this stuff secret?"

"It's some of their most important secrets. I've just been around Hyūga and Uchiha for longer than almost anyone. I've fought, bled, and suffered alongside them in the mud and hell of Shinobi World Wars. You'll pick up details like that over thirty years."

This was one of the first times Naruto truly appreciated just how great a shinobi Jiraiya was. Sure, Itachi and Kisame had run away rather than risk Naruto being taken out in the crossfire of a fight versus Jiraiya. This moment was just far more personal. It just stuck with Naruto. The young man couldn't help but smile as his sensei launched into the explanation on flow and direction.

Even if Ero-sennin made the occasional crack about Naruto's knucklehead reputation.

* * *

Hinata dodged out of the way of Shino's taijutsu strike. She was proud of her Aburame teammate's progress. Shino was becoming a more complete shinobi, just as Hinata was improving. Team Eight was something Hinata was very proud of. Her teammates had encouraged and supported her. Kiba, in fact, was as supportive of Hinata's feelings as Hanabi!

'_Neji-nii-san is my brother in blood,' _Hinata thought as she blocked a fairly standard kata from Shino. _'Kiba-kun is almost an idealized image of what a big brother should be.'_

Hinata countered Shino's combination with one of her own. The Hyūga heiress held back as best she could. The last thing Hinata wanted to do was harm Shino or his hives! Her assault pushed Shino back and nearly bowled him over.

"Hinata, Shino, you have both showed great improvement in your taijutsu," Kurenai commended her students. As Hinata had no doubt observed, Kurenai noticed the steady improvement Shino had made during Team Eight's existence. The Aburame heir was one of the most powerful shinobi of his generation. Shino was incredibly skilled and dedicated. Kurenai considered herself fortunate that Shino's initial taijutsu scores were so low. If he had scored higher, there was a chance he could have surpassed Uchiha Sasuke for Rookie of the Year. That would have destroyed Kurenai's vision for a dedicated reconnaissance cell.

Hinata made Kurenai the proudest. She had truly bloomed into a beautiful and powerful kunoichi. The Chūnin Exams had cleansed her of hesitation and self-doubt. The world was finally recognizing all of the Hyūga maiden's hard work and dedication. It made Kurenai so very proud.

"Thank you, Kurenai-sensei," the two Genin said at once.

Kurenai smiled. "I am merely stating a truth. I am proud of both of you. We are done for the day. After all, we can't have Hinata be _late_ for tonight, now can we?"

Hinata blushed furiously. Kiba and Akamaru laughed out loud. The ninken even rolled on his back in uncontrollable amusement. Shino's shoulders twitched mirthfully.

"Wait! Shino-kun…I need you to throw kunai or shuriken at me! There is something I need to show you all!"

Team Eight looked forward in shock. Had Hinata finally mastered _that_ technique?

"Are you sure, Hinata?" Shino asked firmly. Hinata nodded resolutely. "Then prepare yourself!"

'_One, two, three,'_ Naruto's voice counted time in Hinata's head. Instantly, she was encased in an orb of pure, violent chakra. The three shuriken were practically erased by the potent chakra sphere.

"Hinata!" Kurenai shouted happily. "I'm so proud of you!"

Akamaru howled and Kiba pumped his fist. "About time! Great work."

"Thank you all," Hinata said with a bow. Team Eight spoke for a few moments before Kurenai ended the day's practice. The Hyūga beauty said a quick, very excited, very happy goodbye to her friends and teacher. She then left the training ground at a pace neither boy had seen previously.

"She was using chakra to increase her speed." Kiba's observation was as flat and dry as the deserts surrounding Suna.

"I must confess that I am surprised by her chakra reserves," Shino confessed. "Hinata did just master the Kaiten. I was under the impression that the Hyūga's 'Perfect Defense' was a far more taxing technique."

Akamaru barked and rolled on the ground. Kiba nodded. "When you're right, you're right, Akamaru. Hinata's chakra control is probably the best I've ever seen."

"The question remains, why Hinata would support a 'light' training day and then use chakra to increase her speed. Why? Hinata has always been the most dedicated and hardest, perhaps excessively so, training member of our team."

Kurenai rested a hand on her two shinobi students' shoulders. "Hinata was very excited about tonight. She has a _date_ with Uzumaki Naruto."

"Huh," Kiba and even Shino said in unison.

* * *

Hanabi sighed as Tsuyoshi-san turned his back after Yuka-sensei called an end to the evasion exercise. The blossoming Hyūga maiden maintained a professional relationship with Tsuyoshi-san and Ayumu-san, but she could not consider either of them 'friends'. The older boys resented Hanabi's presence on the team. They felt that the younger girl was a show off due to her natural talents, Byakugan, and status within Konoha's strongest clan.

Hanabi wondered why the path to her fate had to be so obscured and…rocky. The belief in fate was actually fairly common in the Hyūga Clan. Neji's belief in fatalism was simply the most extreme form of this belief. The Cadet Prodigy had convinced himself, until Naruto literally _beat_ the belief out of him, that Fate determined every action in one's life. Hanabi rejected that belief in its totality. Instead, she used fate as a comfort. She believed everyone had a destiny to reach. It was almost impossible to know what the destiny was, but that wasn't the point. The journey to the destiny was what mattered. Everything happened for a reason.

"I guess this part of the journey is teaching me to appreciate what bonds I really have," Hanabi grumbled after saying goodbye to her sensei. The bond she was most proud of, and appreciated the greatest, was the bond with her onee-sama. _'And…I need to find her so I can help…and mercilessly tease…her before the date with Naruto-kun…'_

Hanabi activated her Byakugan and focused her vision to the west. A focused Byakugan could see greater distances, but lost much of the ability to see in all directions. Still, it helped that Hanabi knew which direction her onee-sama would be traveling. The younger Hyūga planned to meet Hinata half-way.

Fortunately, Hinata had the same idea as her sister. "Hanabi-chan! How was your day, imouto?"

"Fine," Hanabi admitted. "Glad work's done."

"Hanabi-chan…you're not having problems with your team?" Hinata was concerned for her sister. Until recently, Hanabi was far-and-away the closest and dearest person in Hinata's life. She could read the emotions that plagued her sister as well as anyone. Hanabi was clearly upset.

"I guess I've been jealous of your recently," Hanabi confessed. "Team Eight has such a great relationship and I've heard you talking about how Kurenai-sensei has done so much for you. My team is professional and we all get along alright, but…"

"You were hoping for friendships?" Hinata asked gently. Hanabi nodded. "You already have great friends and will make many more."

"Thanks for the encouragement, onee-sama." Hanabi's face lit up at her sister's words. Hinata was her best friend and she was grateful. "I just…kinda wish I had more. You have your teammates, your _boyfriend_, Kareia-chan, the other teams from your Academy class… Me? It's pretty much you, Kareia-chan, and Natsu-san. I'm on friendly terms with Naruto-kun, but I've only just met him."

"Next time my peers get together, I'll make sure you come along," Hinata declared.

It was as if Hanabi had become her namesake for a moment. "You're the greatest onee-sama! Enough sulking! I want to see this dress Kareia-chan loaned you!"

"I-I think Naruto-kun will like it," Hinata admitted.

"Puh-lease!" Hanabi gestured dismissively. "Natsu-san mentioned that he was wowed by you in your training robes! Seeing you in a dress might just cause permanent brain damage."

"Let's hope it doesn't go _that_ far," Hinata whispered. The Hyūga sisters arrived comfortably at their ancestral compound thanks to the wonders of familiarity and small talk. Quickly, the two kunoichi slipped stealthily towards their objective. Through the use of the Bloodline inheritance, Hinata and Hanabi tracked their quarry.

"You have done well, Kareia-san. I shall agree to your request to retire early for the evening," Hyūga Katashi _magnanimously _decreed.

Hiashi's daughters quickly pounced upon the exhausted apprentice archivist and dragged her towards the residential wing. For a short time, the three would not be kunoichi. They would be free of responsibilities and able to act their age. It was liberating.

* * *

Naruto wasn't sure which emotion should be stronger at the moment between his nervousness, his excitement, and self-confidence. That self-confidence reeked of arrogance. Naruto quickly tossed those emotions to the side. This was not a night all about him. It was just as much about Hinata. Hiashi's request that Naruto marry Hinata had not been forgotten. Tonight would be a huge test towards seeing just how all of that would work. Time, sadly, was not really on Naruto's and Hinata's side. Naruto wouldn't put it past Shuichi and the other Elders to seal and marry Hinata off the second the last of Hiashi's ashes had settled for collection within the Hyūga clan's crematorium.

'_The bastards,'_ Naruto growled as he finished shining his new shoes. Fury bubbled beneath the surface. The heat pushed memories of how hard Hinata had fought against Neji to the surface. _'They've never even considered that, have they? Shuichi, her fucking grandfather, probably doesn't even want to acknowledge how hard Hinata-chan is willing to fight for what she believes in…what she cares for and wants. Fuck that old guy. If there was a way to trade his life for Hiashi-sama's, I'd take it…'_

Naruto took several calming breaths. His focus was on much happier memories: Hinata's pep talk at the posts, Jiraiya cheering for Naruto at the festival games during the search for Baa-chan, seeing Hinata and Hanabi hugging soaking wet…damn it Ero-sennin…and finally his first kiss with Hinata. In an instant, Naruto was at peace. The furious heat had receded. Unfortunately, an entirely _new_ heat had taken its place.

"I don't want to be late," Naruto quickly told himself.

The sun was retreating from the sky and taking most of its heat with it. As the moon cautiously peeked over the horizon, the air had achieved a pleasant equilibrium. The comfortable air put him more and more at ease. Naruto had always taken advantage of his massive chakra reserves to exploit Kage Bunshin. Tonight was no exception. One of his kage bunshin ran up with the flowers.

"We got lucky, boss!" The clone announced. "Ino wasn't closing the shop tonight!"

"Not that I mind Ino, she's a friend and all," Naruto admitted. "But you're right. There's no way we could keep things quiet with her finding out. I don't want things getting blown out of proportion. The Hyūga Elders might get even more pissy."

The kage bunshin nodded before dispelling. Naruto picked up the pace and was pleased that the Hyūga watching the gate was firmly in Hiashi's camp.

"Good evening, Naruto-san," the Hyūga, Hoheto if Naruto remembered correctly, greeted the young Chūnin.

"Evening!" Naruto responded warmly. He noticed that Hoheto was carefully judging him. It was something Naruto was sadly used to, but by no means had accepted. "Is something _wrong_, Hoheto-san?"

"Nothing," the Hyūga quickly assured Naruto. Hoheto was cursing himself silently. Hiashi-sama had warned him about how to approach Naruto. The years of social pressure to judge the Uzumaki boy to unrealistically harsh standards were not easily overcome. "I was admiring your choice of attire."

Naruto knew he was being slightly bullshitted, but decided not to alienate any potential allies within the Hyūga Clan. "Thanks."

Truthfully, Naruto _was_ dressed nicely. He was wearing a dark blue dress shirt, khaki slacks, a brown leather belt, and brown lace-up leather shoes. Naruto hadn't gone for the casual untucked look, either. Everything was in place. Hoheto was impressed.

"I'm sure Hinata-sama will enjoy tonight," Hoheto said as a placating gesture.

Naruto smiled and nodded at the gesture. He decided to leave well enough alone and headed into the compound. His first stop was going to be Hiashi's office. The Hyūga head was helping him out, so it was the least he could do.

"Excuse me, Uzumaki-san?" An elderly female voice Naruto vaguely recognized called out.

"That's me! What do you need…Toshiko?" Naruto scrambled to remember the woman's name.

The elderly matron nodded politely. "Are you looking for Hiashi-sama, young sir?"

"Mhm," Naruto hummed. "I'm trying to stay on his good side," Naruto finished with a joke and a smile.

"I am afraid that Hiashi is not able to see anyone at the moment. His condition is…delicate," Toshiko hated to be the bearer of bad news, especially to a young person before his first date.

"How…how are Hinata-chan and Hanabi holding up?" Naruto asked.

The elderly Hyūga smiled as gently as she could. "Hiashi-sama put on a brave face for his daughters. I think tonight's…festivities are providing some much needed levity. It will bring them happiness and a positive event to focus on."

"I'll be sure to make this a night to remember for Hinata-chan," Naruto promised. "Would you and the others be mad if I left a couple kage bunshin here? One would be a way to alert me and Hinata-chan if something went…bad. The others would be there to fill us in on our way back."

"I don't think anyone would object," Toshiko said warmly. "It must be nice…having such robust chakra capacity! I would have loved to be able to make so many kage bunshin! That would have been very helpful while raising three children!"

Naruto smiled at the genuine good cheer the woman's voice. He could _feel_ the weight of Hiashi's condition lift off his shoulders. "Thanks," Naruto responded warmly and made a trio of kage bunshin. "Um, your children went on dates, right Toshiko-san?"

"Several," Toshiko answered with an almost overly amused grin.

She had been worried about how the young man would approach Hinata-sama. The young woman was well liked and faith in her leadership potential was more evident after he confident match against Neji. Hiashi's attempts to reconcile with his eldest daughter had also been viewed as a positive step. The combination of Hinata's gentle nature, the Hyūga's positive and improving opinion of the _possible_ heiress, and Naruto's reputation caused the worry. Luckily, Naruto's reputation was very wrong. The boy was simply unaccustomed to societal niceties, but was very eager to learn and gain acceptance.

"Um, I know where Hinata-chan's room is, do I go straight there or do I wait here?"

Toshiko shook her head at the curious and expectant look on all for Narutos' faces. "Please wait here. I will inform Hinata-sama of your arrival."

"Okay," Naruto agreed. He turned to his clones and pointed to the left-hand clone. "Alright, you go find Hiashi-sama and stick with him unless a doctor says otherwise. Middle, you stay sorta nearby."

"What about me?" The final clone asked.

Naruto grinned. "Simple, I want you to hang out with Neji."

"Neji," the clone repeated. "The guy that nearly killed Hinata-chan and said he was going to kill us."

"Hey, Gaara threatened to kill us and nearly did. If I can forgive Gaara, then I can forgive Neji...eventually. Anyway, just go see if he's free to train sometime."

The clones nodded and scattered. Naruto was left alone with nothing but the flowers he had bought, his budding sense of anticipation, and curiosity about what Hinata was doing right now.

* * *

"This is going to be a complete abuse of my position as a member of the Main Family," Hanabi announced solemnly before pointing a finger at Kareia. "but we are going shopping as soon as I can kidnap you from the Elders and the Archives!"

Kareia sat on the edge of Hinata's bed and smiled. "But how will those stodgy old men get _anything _done without us?"

"They won't," Hanabi answered quickly. "Which is _amazing_, because they won't be able to screw up the Clan for a while. Heck, they might decide that since we do everything anyway, they should just go sit on a can of prune juice and leave running the clan to intelligent and beautiful young women like ourselves."

"I'd like that," Kareia heartily agreed. "You would join us, wouldn't you Hinata-sama?"

"I-If…If I wasn't on a mission or…occupied…" Hinata acquiesced over the hammering of her heart and the coursing torrent of her adrenaline.

"Occupied…is that an Antiquity Tongue word for 'making out with Na-ru-to-kun'?" Hanabi teased her onee-sama.

Hinata's blush was made ever the brighter by the color of her dress. She attempted to control the imagery Hanabi had seeded in her mind. As her sister and one of her close friends happily chatted about how the civilian-style shopping in Konoha was improving, Hinata narrowly prevented a mental overload.

"D-Do either of you know anything about Natsumeyashi?" Hinata asked in an attempt to both give her mind something other than her racy daydreams and to become involved in Kareia-chan and Hanabi-chan's conversation.

"I'm sorry, Hinata-sama," Kareia apologized. "I haven't had any luck."

"Besides, it'll be more fun as a surprise! I know you'll enjoy everything about tonight," Hanabi added.

Hinata nodded. "I did tell Naruto-kun I'd be happy to just eat cup ramen on a park bench if it meant we could spend time together."

Any further teasing or fretting was forestalled by a knock at the bedroom door. "Hinata-sama, may I come in?"

"You may, Toshiko-san," Hinata announced.

The Hyūga matron gasped. "You look lovely, Hinata-sama! Naruto-san can barely contain his excitement already. When he sees how lovely he looks, young Naruto will be rendered speechless!"

"I-I can't imagine Naruto-kun speechless," Hinata countered shyly.

"Hinata-sama, you won't need your imagination for a fact of reality," Toshiko said firmly. Her tone, and her eyes, softened as a smile graced her lips. "I dare say that you'll enjoy the moment you realize the power you've got over Naruto-san."

"Power?" Kareia asked with a twinge of confusion. The looks on Hinata and Hanabi's faces made it clear they were extremely curious as well.

"Oh yes," the retired kunoichi bragged. "It is a power all women wield. With it, we can turn Kage, street sweepers, Daimyo, doctors, and generals into putty."

The girls all seemed eager to learn more about this power. Hinata's eagerness was cut short by a gasp and a tremble of shock.

"Wait…" Hinata's mouth was suddenly rendered very dry by the heat in her face. "You mean _he's here?!"_

* * *

Naruto was feeling a bit nervous. Toshiko was taking a very long time. As he waited, the young man's mind started to wander to what Hinata would be wearing. Naruto's mind was inordinately focused on Hinata's attire. The reason was very simple. Naruto, finally some might say, had realized that Hyūga Hinata was an incredibly beautiful young woman that was crazy about him.

'_I'm pretty sure that _I'm _crazy about _her _now,'_ Naruto admitted mentally. He knew that Hinata wasn't backing out. She seemed to have enjoyed the kiss if the laughter and excited jumping Naruto had heard that night was anything to go by.

The 'pretty' in 'pretty sure' decided to strike out on its own as Hinata practically glided. That adjective proceeded to launch a coup against all higher brain functions. The new overlord of Naruto's brain only allowed him to focus on Hinata and a few of the details he could comprehend.

Naruto gulped. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to react. Drooling was a no-go for obvious social reasons. The Hyūga were too politically important for one. Most importantly, Hinata wasn't a steaming bowl of ramen placed in front of Naruto after a day of training with Ero-sennin.

Even if she was hot.

Naruto finally regained enough of his wits to comprehend what Hinata was wearing for the evening. The dress was very 'Hinata', Naruto thought. It wasn't short and maintained her modesty well. The dress also played to Hinata's, well-earned by Naruto's reckoning, newfound confidence. Hinata wore the satin and lace dress as if it was a second skin. The description did not only fit how close to naturally the Hyūga beauty was wearing the dress, but how…well-fitted the ensemble seemed to be.

"H-Hi," Naruto forced out. The silence was starting to drag out and there was a creeping fear in the recesses of Naruto's mind. It was terrifying to think that the mini-Jiraiya hallucination was about to rear its ugly head again.

"G-Good evening, Naruto-kun," Hinata responded while giving Naruto a subtle once-over. She had gotten part of her wish for the night. Naruto _did_ clean up very well. Hinata was also confident that she was well on her way to having a very good night. Her _boyfriend_ was gobsmacked by the dress.

'_I will definitely have to thank Kareia-chan for this,'_ Hinata promised.

"You look great!" Naruto complimented heartily. He might have been laying the enthusiasm on thick, even by his standards, but he needed to focus on something other than Hinata for a minute. Naruto had caught sight of Neji out of the corner of his eye. The older Hyūga Genin was not even bothering to hide the not-at-all subtle message in his body language.

It roughly translated to, "Don't be Jiraiya and I won't have to reintroduce you to the Hakke Rokujūyon Shō."

Hinata blushed, and was mercifully unaware that Neji was trying his best to be protective down the hall. Naruto offered his arm. The Hyūga young woman eagerly accepted the chance to practically weld herself to the object of her affections.

'_I could get used to this,'_ the couple reveled mentally at the same moment.

* * *

The kage bunshin Naruto had created were milling about the Hyūga Compound. One of the clones had decided to perform an incredibly valuable service for his creator. The kage bunshin was going to figure out just where the hell Hinata-chan's room was from the front door of the Compound. As 'Naruto' toured the Hyūga's home, he started to appreciate just how much history the Hyūga Clan possessed. Sure, the clone was aware of Naruto's studies. It was just the kage bunshin had never experienced it for himself.

"I'm still lost," 'Naruto' lamented. He really had no clue where the heck he was.

"What exactly are you looking for, Naruto-kun?" Kareia's voice asked from behind the clone.

The clone jumped in surprise. "Just trying to get a bunch of memories of the layout so that the Boss won't be this lost next time he's here."

The taller girl raised a delicate eyebrow at the statement. "Memories?"

"I'm a kage bunshin. When I dispel, the _actual_ Naruto will get my memories."

"Wait," Kareia held up a hand. "You're saying that there is a Bunshin jutsu that allows memory transfer?"

"Kage Bunshin," 'Naruto' confirmed. "I know what you're thinking. 'Why doesn't Konoha teach _everyone_ this jutsu?' Memory transfer is really strong, right?" Kareia nodded. "Ero-sennin told me that the jutsu tries to give equal amounts of chakra to each clone."

"That…doesn't sound so bad." Kareia gave Naruto a flat look.

"It is when you split half your chakra with a Kage Bunshin," Naruto's Kage Bunshin replied.

"You've got _half_ of your creator's chakra?" The Hyūga asked in shock.

'Naruto' shrugged. "I'm not really sure. I won't be seeing any combat, so I think the boss didn't put quite as much in it."

"Oh," Kareia was amazed by the technique, but she really wasn't in the mood for 'work' talk. "I'm on my way to Hanabi-sama's quarters. I could show you were the rooms are."

"That'd be…nice," the Clone answered carefully. He wasn't sure if that was proper. If it was, great. If it wasn't…well…hopefully some of the other kage bunshin were distracting Neji.

Kareia semi-fell back into her historian mindset as she pointed out the various details about the Hyūga compound as the pair headed towards the residential wing.

"Hey, Kareia, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, Naruto-kun?" Kareia was curious about what Naruto wanted to know. It was clear that he had put two pieces of information together. She was a Hyūga, and thus skilled at reading body language.

Naruto's clone took a breath to gather his thoughts. "I know you aren't thrilled about being the Archivist's Apprentice. But…your face lights up when you talk about your clan's history. What's the story behind that?"

"I'm not upset because the Hyūga selected me to be next Archivist. Naruto-kun, I'm really not…it's _how _and _why_ I'm in my current role."

The pair stopped at the edge of the residential wing. The clone didn't say anything. Instinctively, he knew Kareia should take the lead. Kareia took a moment to collect her thoughts. "I made a mistake of actually talking about my issues with the Clan. Word got back to the Elders and they decided to sweep me and my concerns under the rug."

"Besides the obvious ones," Naruto's clone pointed out. "What were the issues you have?"

"I've always been…friends with Hinata-sama and Hanabi-sama. I watched the Clan try to tear them apart and set them against each other. It was painful to see and I didn't hesitate to confide in others about it. I got lucky. When the Elders found out, they didn't activate the seal. Instead, I was quickly 'promoted'. I guess I was lucky that I wasn't tortured, just put under house arrest for the rest of my life."

"How can they get away with taking you off the active roster?" 'Naruto' asked.

"Because Archivist is a vital and honorable position in the Hyūga Clan. I am technically training to be a member of the Hyūga Council, but as a Cadet I won't have any official voice in Clan politics."

"At least until I make good on my promise to Neji. Then you'll have one of the strongest voices in the new Hyūga Clan."

Naruto's declaration was so powerful, earnest, and fervent that Kareia didn't care it was made by a shadow clone. She wanted to believe.

And so she did.

* * *

Hyūga Neji was honestly quite shocked by the recent events. He knew that Hiashi-sama was very keen to secure an alliance with Uzumaki Naruto. The Hyūga prodigy was in full agreement with allying with Uzumaki Naruto. In the space of a single match, Uzumaki Naruto had done more to heal the rifts within the Hyūga clan than the empty promises of the Main Branch had accomplished in years.

Naruto's standing was helped a great deal because the younger shinobi had actually survived the Hakke Rokujūyon Shō. It was a minor miracle that Naruto survived the strike at all. The amount of chakra Neji was pouring into his strikes should have completely overwhelmed Naruto's chakra network.

Politically, Naruto was also gathering an impressive level of support. That, Neji realized, was undoubtedly why the grumbling from the elder members of the Clan was said away from the younger women of the Clan. The gossip would spread quickly and no doubt reach the Hokage. _No one_ wanted to be seen as disparaging the Hokage's favorite young shinobi.

As Neji weighed the facets of Uzumaki Naruto, he was beginning to hope more and more. The promise he made in the Chūnin Exams wasn't so far-fetched after all. Neji didn't activate his Byakugan, but cast a quick glance around the hall. The coast was clear.

"Good evening," Neji spoke to a closed door.

The door opened and a fellow Cadet ushered Neji into a modest sitting room. "We are glad you could make it, Neji-san."

"This meeting is too important for the future of the Hyūga Clan," Neji stated resolutely. "Have the Cadet Elders come to a decision?"

"We have," Hideki, one of the oldest cadets revealed. "Hinata-sama and Hanabi-sama are the only leaders of the Hyūga Clan the Cadets shall recognize once Hiashi finally succumbs. We still wish for a miracle as Hiashi has recently done so much to heal the rifts in our clan. However, even Tsunade-sama could not heal Hiashi-sama. The Cadets must prepare for his passing. The Main Family Elders will attempt to install a 'regency' for Hinata-sama or Hanabi-sama. It will hold no recognized authority."

"I will inform Hinata-sama and Hanabi-sama of this decision. How will we counter or prevent the Main Family Elders from abusing the juinjutsu?" Neji asked.

"Numbers," the Cadet who let Neji into the meeting room answered. "The Cadets are almost entirely united in this endeavor. Abusing the juinjutsu would be seen as a threat to Konoha's military strength in a time where no shinobi can be spared."

"That is a dangerous gamble," Neji cautioned. "It relies on those outside of the clan being constantly aware of the inner workings of the Hyūga."

"It is fortunate we have an ally from outside the Clan strongly associated with Tsunade-sama, Hanabi-sama, and Hinata-sama."

Neji smirked. "Very fortunate indeed."

* * *

Naruto wasn't exactly sure what he had been expecting tonight, but whatever it was couldn't have been this good. Shizune and Ero-sennin hadn't been kidding about the crowds staying away. Naruto and Hinata practically had an entire section to themselves. The crowd of regulars were all clustered near the bar listening to the music. Naruto and Hinata had spent some time just chatting about anything that came to mind. There was no rush. Hiashi hadn't said anything about a curfew.

The two teenagers were going to eagerly take advantage of that omission.

"Hey, Hinata-chan," Naruto decided that he might as well start the 'main course' of the date. One of the reasons he had been excited about this particular place for the date was the dancing. He had absolutely no clue how to dance, but he had memorized katas.

Hinata looked up from her drink. "What is it, Naruto-kun?"

"Would you mind teaching me how to dance?" Naruto asked with a grin.

"Of course!" Hinata agreed immediately. Then, the blush started migrating northwards. The Hyūga beauty quickly realized certain details about the looming situation. First, she would make close physical contact with Naruto. Second, the contact would be very intimate.

Her mind was in complete overload. Desire and self-doubt waged a bitter battle for dominance. Desire and hope received unexpected reinforcements in the form of a strangely familiar look on Naruto's face.

'_Where have I seen that look?'_ Hinata wondered. It then hit her. Naruto had donned an expectant and hopeful look that could only be compared to Akamaru begging for people food. Hinata had to fight the urge to activate her Byakugan to check for a giant plate of bacon. She quickly realized that _she_, metaphorically speaking, was Naruto's giant plate of bacon.

The Byakugan Princess had heard several of the older Hyūga women describe a devastating weapon in the kunoichi arsenal; the Puppy Dog Look. Hinata had made use of it before against Father. It had worked when she was a little girl. Now that she was on the receiving end, it was clear how devastatingly effective it truly was.

Naruto extended his hand. There was no way Hinata could say no to Naruto in most situations. The addition of the Puppy Look was just _unfair._

"I've never danced before," the young man confessed as he led Hinata onto the dance floor.

Hinata's blush was as intense as ever. "I-It won't be too difficult…think of it like learning katas."

"Really?" Naruto asked enthusiastically. Hinata nodded. "Man, why can't they just call dance moves that? It would really make it sound like something for everyone then!"

Hinata smiled as she gathered her courage. Tonight hadn't been the romantic whirlwind she sometimes dreamed of, but it was still romantic. This next step would definitely add a bit to the whirlwind aspect of her idea for the date.

"Naruto-kun…take my hand," Hinata requested. Naruto nodded and complied. Hinata used her other hand to help guide Naruto's free hand to the small of her back. The dance began slowly and Hinata was ready to declare the evening a success.

"This is a lot more fun than I thought it'd be," Naruto confessed. Hinata smiled in response. "So…tell me about mastering that, what is it…Rotation…jutsu."

"I can't tell you much, Naruto-kun. We _are_ in public," Hinata gently reminded her boyfriend. Luckily, Naruto realized his near-gaffe. The Hyūga maiden knew Naruto was just trying to help build her confidence. She really did appreciate the gesture. "But…_this_ helped me master it."

The Jinchūriki let the gears in his head work for a moment. It was a struggle as most of his mental horsepower was dedicated to ogling Hinata and a fierce internal debate. _'How much trouble would I be in with Hinata-chan, Hiashi, and baa-cha if my hand drifted a bit…'_

"Us dancing?" Naruto asked as the idea finished processing.

Hinata nodded and pulled herself in closer. Naruto didn't catch the intense blush on Hinata's face…or the amused wink Kurenai-sensei had sent to her favorite student. Hinata guided Naruto in the proper way to dance on a crowded floor. The music wound down and Naruto took his turn at guiding Hinata.

"Hey, Hinata-chan, do you want to get a bite to eat…and…talk some?" Naruto asked as they sat down at the booth they had claimed.

"That sounds lovely, Naruto-kun," Hinata agreed. The night was off to such a wonderful start, and the last couple of days had been almost so perfect that Hinata's former self-deprecation was silent.

The pair sat quietly for a moment after Naruto had motioned over a waiter. Natsumeyashi had long served younger shinobi and most of their more extravagant drinks were also alcohol free. This delighted Hinata as she ordered a very ornate fruit drink. Naruto was somewhat intimidated by the menu which included eight different types of sake and four types of _water_, simply ordered some type of spring water with a fancy name.

"Hinata-chan…" Naruto gathered his thoughts. "I want to help you with your clan however I can."

"Thank you Naruto-kun," Hinata responded politely. "I am worried about what will happen after…Father passes."

"Hiashi's a tough guy. He'll be around for a long time!" Naruto assured Hinata. The Hyūga heiress smiled at the attempt to raise her spirits.

"Father is very strong. I-I am surprised by how quickly he has taken to you."

"We share a common interest," Naruto admitted with a grin.

"What is that?"

The Jinchūriki leaned back in his seat and lit up the darkened room with a smile. "You. Happy."

Hinata wasn't sure that leaping across the table to kiss Naruto would be appropriate, especially given that Kurenai was at the restaurant. She also was desperately trying not to cry tears of joy at the declaration. Naruto's reaction wasn't something she could predict at this point and Hinata certainly didn't want to upset him.

"This is already one of the best nights of my life, Naruto-kun," Hinata murmured dreamily.

"Oh yeah," Naruto agreed. The conversation was light and Naruto had come close to revealing Hiashi's request a few times. Though the idea of marrying Hinata was becoming more appealing by the second, he wanted Hinata to have a say in the matter. So, that meant more dates.

Which was something Naruto could definitely appreciate.

The couple's drinks arrived quickly. Naruto and Hinata took a few minutes to quiz each other on some of their favorite things. Naruto high-fived his girlfriend, much to the amusement of several of the other patrons, when he discovered that they shared a love of zenzai. They both enjoyed similar movies, but disagreed on which Fūun-Hime movie was the best. Their faux-debate ended in an uncontrollable fit of giggles and laughter.

"Would you like to dance again? It looks like the band is about to start back up," Naruto suggested.

Hinata's smile was the only answer Naruto needed.

* * *

Sarutobi Asuma would never admit it, but seeing Kurenai attempting to will herself Yamanaka mind abilities was one of the greatest sources of entertainment he had experienced in several months. He had always known Kurenai was protective of her young Hyūga charge. This was the first time he had seen just _how_ protective she was of Hinata.

It was endearing, really.

"Kurenai, she's _fine_. The Uzumaki kid has been stepping up," Asuma tried to assure his extremely beautiful associate/companion/sort-of-official girlfriend.

The Genjutsu mistress sighed. "I know, but I've just been Hinata's tutor and guardian since the Academy. The past few months have been incredibly trying for us all…"

"She'll be _fine,"_ Asuma repeated. "You've trained her too well, and don't forget who she's with."

Kurenai nodded. "Flattery gets you everywhere. You're also right. I feel much better since she's with Naruto. He _did_ fight for her honor against Neji…"

"Which was a pretty ballsy move. Kid definitely earned his Chūnin Vest," Asuma added.

Kurenai was only half listening to Asuma's statement about Uzumaki Naruto's promotion. "It looks like they are about to leave. I want to check with Hinata for a moment…"

"Alright," Asuma chuckled as he lit a cigarette. "I'll distract Uzumaki from his girlfriend for a bit." He hadn't seen this side of Kurenai before. In fact, he wasn't even sure Kurenai knew _how_ to fret before tonight. _'Oh well, this gives me something to tease her about later.'_

The two Jonin quickly crossed the restaurant and intercepted the Hyūga heiress and the Uzumaki Chūnin.

"Hinata!" Kurenai called out. "I just noticed you were here."

Pretty much everyone could tell that wasn't the truth, but decided to go along with it. Asuma subtly pulled Naruto aside. The son of the late Third Hokage smiled weakly at Naruto. "Women."

"Women," Naruto agreed.

Off to the side, Kurenai was whispering with Hinata. Naruto turned to Asuma as he failed to decipher just what the heck was going on.

"Don't feel bad," Asuma interjected. "I'm a Jonin and _I _have no clue what they are saying most of the time."

"That makes me feel better."

Hinata gave her teacher a hug as the conversation died down. The two groups split up after a few pleasantries. Naruto appreciated that Asuma was just as eager to get on with his date with Kurenai as Naruto was to continue his with Hinata.

"Kurenai-sensei seemed happy to see you," Naruto observed with a bit of an amused snicker.

Hinata covered her mouth to hide her giggle. "I-I wasn't expecting Sensei to _fret_."

"Fret? You mean worry?" Naruto asked for confirmation, which Hinata provided with a mirthful nod. "I thought she was going to give you a full field check."

"That would have been difficult in this dress," Hinata added.

"It looks _awesome_, by the way. I know I said it earlier, but yeah…" Naruto trailed off appreciatively.

Hinata decided that now was the _perfect_ time to embrace a sense of boldness. The Hyūga heiress activated her Byakugan. Naruto noticed his girlfriend's active Bloodline and entered into a combat stance on instinct. It was embarrassing for all of a pico-second that he even prepared for 'trouble' and in a fighting stance that Hinata caught him completely, utterly, and gloriously off guard. His embarrassment was ruthlessly and violently suppressed by every other aspect of his being as Hinata kissed him.

Naruto had only felt this kind of fire from Hinata once before: during the fight against Neji.

This situation blew through that moment like Orochimaru's Great Breakthrough. For one, the chances of Hinata getting hurt in this moment were _negative_. Naruto was fairly certain that he'd punch out the Kyūbi if the Fox showed up to ruin the moment. Second, the last time Naruto had felt Hinata's determination it had been dulled by distance and Naruto's unfamiliarity with Hinata. Now, he was basking in its intensity and closeness.

There was no substitute for proximity.

Hinata and Naruto weren't sure how long they had _indulged_ in the moment or when Naruto had thrown his arms around Hinata. The two decided that an investigation into a breath-holding jutsu was now the third best idea ever.

First, respectively, was each other. The continuation of their previous activity was an extremely close second.

Naruto and Hinata's hormones engaged in a fierce, and oh-so-rewarding, running battle from a location roughly near Natsumeyashi to within sight of the Hyūga compound.

Unfortunately, if Hinata and Naruto could see the Hyūga compound, then those in the compound could see the couple. That pumped the brakes on the pair's rather intense moment. They took a moment to mostly compose themselves.

"Tonight was amazing, Hinata-chan," Naruto declared.

"O-One of the best nights of my life," Hinata agreed. She quickly stole a kiss and headed into the gates.

Naruto sighed as he felt his kage bunshin dispel. He had a ton of memories to sort through. They were all rather pleasant which would help 'putting them all in place'.

'_Honestly, I'm tempted to ask Hiashi if I can move in at this point,'_ Naruto thought as trudged towards his apartment complex.

"I'm home," he announced to his shadowed bed, desperately wishing Hinata's voice would call out to greet him.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Well, here's a new chapter. I'm trying to get as many updates out as I can before the school year. A few of my stories have been pretty close to getting a new chapter complete for a few months to be honest. Dichotomy of the Soul, A Matter of Destiny, Hanyou: The Musical!are probably the closest to having their next chapters ready to go. I've also made some good progress on Misstep in the Right Direction, A Dream Hastened, Echoes of Blood, Chains of the Kindred, Twelve Shattered Mirrors. The next chapters of Towards the Dawn, The Twin Tides, Shadows on the Horizon, and Twelve Shattered Mirrors, In Strange Aeons have been started. Right now, I've got **all** of those fic documents open to see which my muse latches onto.

A quick response to the Anon who brought up 'Huri Hyuga'...you were the Naruto-fandom toilet brush of the month until I saw that crackpot ass JonasLuvur. You've obviously never read anything other than fanfiction. If you followed Kishimoto's legitimate Naruto stories, you'd be aware that not only has Hinata married outside the Clan...she married Naruto...and they have two kids together. Shit, Hiashi was at their wedding. But you seem to only read anti-NaruHina fanfiction. So, prepare to bust out even more of your salt next chapter. I've always planned on having this story be inclusive of all character types...and I think "Huri" will replace Hyuga Hiro for that role. I can't wait to see your head explode.

For everyone else, thanks for the reviews. You're constructive support is greatly appreciated. And don't worry, I remember Naruto is actually a Shonen property. There will be action building in the next chapter. In fact, Naruto and Jiraiya will have an A-rank mission and Team Kakashi will have a C-rank. To give you a hint about tone...Firefly. (A more specific hint..."Ain't. We. Just?")

Hope y'all enjoy!


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